So what are ones chances of winning a slot in Hawaii?Is it worth trying ,or am I just flushing $35.00 down the toilet? Thanks P.S.This would be for the U.S.lottery.
this came up last year and i think someone estimated around 3-4%. i’m trying to get in that way as well. good luck!
Slim and none…and Slim just left town ;-D
PS, I hope you get in!
i think the bigger question is: do you REALLY want to go that route?? 
What was it, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
Depends on the state your applying from as well as they historically have tried to have representation from all 50 states.
Depends on the state your applying from as well as they historically have tried to have representation from all 50 states.<<
Not anymore. They’ve stopped that and it will be a true lottery.
I am not too sure if what they say and do are exactly the same. I work with a guy that is two for two at IM. That would seem to be really lucky. I think if I wanted to do the race with no chance in hell of qualifying or buying my way in I would go for it. G
I got in for 2003…25th Anniversary!! It was awesome. It was my 2nd try, but my last was 6yrs prior. I will try again this year as I personally know 2 folks that went 2 for 2.
And, yeah, I think it is “OK” to get in this way. I have done other IM races and have been in the sport since 1985. I took off several yrs for med school/residency. Kona is an incredible experience and any opportunity to get there is worth it. Going there jump started me back into IM…lost 30# in 4 months…what a day!
HC
Someone on this forum posted what they thought were odds, I can’t remember what they were. I enter every year. I’ve never won.
My buddy Jim won and so have a number of our customers.
I have qualified 3 time, and I believe this is the 20th time I’ve put in for the lottery…no luck yet. I tend to believe it is somewhat rigged, but I guess it is ok since they can do what they want.
Why does the Ironman organization allow lottery slots anyway? Why not just redistribute the 200 slots to qualifying races to reward even more people who have put in the work over the previous year? It is the Championship after all, and I’m just curious as to why they feel the need to let some people in directly.
With that said, good luck on the lottery app.
As I understand it, when John Collins gave up rights to Ironman, one of his few stipulations was that no matter how competitive the race becomes, there would always be a way for “regular” people to get in and do it. The lottery was developed to meet that need as qualifying got more and more competitive. I might not have all the details right but I believe that’s basically the reason why.
WTC is contractually bound to offer access to the “every day person.” This is how the event started and the original owners made that a stipulation when they sold it to what is now the WTC.
Ahhhh, now I get it. Thanks guys.
Someone sent me this study that they did in 2002 for the 2001 drawing. I would probably have a better shot getting in by qualifying than I would through the lottery.
…2001 Total…Total #…Odds of
…Entrants…Drawn…Winning
Total U.S…2,833
U.S. Passport Members… 2,275…100…1:22.25
U.S. General Membership…2,733…50…1:54.17
Total International…901
International Passport Members…481…25…1:18.76
International General Membership…876…25…1:34.56
I won a slot last year as a passport club entry on my second try in the lottery. I know my math is not precise (passport club members get two bites at the lottery) but there were 150 slots and 3500 entries. Roughly 4.3% chance of landing it. Best money I ever spent.
Good luck,
Paul