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Houston Marathon lottery adds more runners & "third time's a charm" rule

Though it seems like the 2012 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon just passed, early registration for the 2013 race is just a month away.

The Houston Marathon Committee responded to increasing demand for the race by implementing a lottery system in 2010. On Monday, they announced new guidelines for a more fair and open system this time around.

One improvement: A raised participant cap.

This year, following the lead of other races, the Houston Marathon Committee will institute a "third time's a charm" rule for those runners who haven't had luck in the lottery for two consecutive years.

Organizers have added 1,000 participants to the Aramco Houston Half Marathon, upping that total to 12,000 runners. The 2012 race saw an increase in Chevron Houston Marathon entries — from 11,000 to 13,000 — and this most recent addition is an effort to get the registration totals closer to even.

And means a total 25,000 runners will flood the city streets on Jan. 13, 2013.

"The course really dictates the numbers," Jennifer Carmouche, communications manager for the Houston Marathon Committee, told CultureMap. "Our number one priority is the runners' experience. We want more runners to be able to participate in the race, but we don't want to grow just for the sake of growing."

At the same time, the organizers want to encourage participation. This year, following the lead of other races, the Houston Marathon Committee will institute a "third time's a charm" rule for those runners who haven't had luck in the lottery for two consecutive years. These runners will receive a long-awaited, guaranteed entry during early registration, which opens May 8 through May 31.

Other runners eligible for early registration include:

Time qualifiers: Runners who have proof of finishing a marathon in under four hours, a half marathon under 1:52:55 and a 10K under 51:08.
Multiple-run finishers: Runners who have completed five or more Houston Marathons.
Deferred registrants: Runners who deferred their registration in 2012.
Members designated by the Houston Area Road Runners Association.

The lottery will open up to other registrants from June 6 through June 21, and will be notified of selection no later than June 25.

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Texas sports team unite to support legalized online gambling

Photo by Michelle Watson/CultureMapSnap

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The movement to legalize online sports gambling in Texas gained some additional momentum thanks to a new report showing it could add billions to the Texas economy.

The report comes from Eilers & Krejcik, a boutique research firm that specializes in the gaming industry. According to the report, the state could see $2.6 billion in additional annual economic activity, with another $24.3 million in tax revenue. It could also add up to 8,000 jobs.

Orlando Sanchez, former Harris County Treasurer and Houston City Council Member, has gone on record saying legalizing online sports gambling would benefit Texas.

“By legalizing sports betting in the Lone Star State, we could generate additional tax revenue – that doesn’t include taxing Texans more, which could be used to fund a variety of public projects while keeping Texans safe and giving us the chance to choose whether or not we want to legalize sports betting by putting it on the ballot,” he told Texas Insider.

Nearly all the major sports teams in the state back the move toward legalized sports gambling. Members of the Sports Betting Alliance, which is advocating for legislation to allow online sports betting, includes the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, and the Houston Dash. Former governor Rick Perry serves as one spokesperson for the organization.

Texans owner Cal McNair and Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta issued a joint statement in February 2023 supporting sports gambling.

”The Houston Texans support giving Texans the opportunity to choose for themselves if they want a regulated and taxed sports betting industry in Texas,” said McNair. “We think a legal and regulated betting industry is best for our fans and partners and would protect the integrity of competition.”

“Sports betting is a very popular form of entertainment,” said Fertitta. “Sports fans enjoy placing bets on their favorite sports because it brings them closer to the team and puts them in the game. No one wins with an illegal market as robust as the one in Texas.”

Houston soccer teams Dash and Dynamo also issued a brief statement following the release of the study.

“As the popularity of sports betting grows across the US, the Houston Dash and Dynamo align with efforts to bring this unique opportunity to soccer fans in Houston.”

Sports betting legislation has faced an uphill battle thanks to Governor Greg Abbott. The governor has been very against expanding gambling in Texas throughout his administration, blocking attempts of native tribes to expand electronic bingo halls, additional casino construction being pushed by Miriam Adelson, and even research trips by Texas officials to study expanded gambling. Though Abbott has seemingly softened on his stance, he remains wary of gambling fostering economic hardship in the state.

Texas is one of only 11 states in the union that has not legalized sports gambling. The American Gaming Association estimates sports gambling has contributed to $40.8 billion in tax revenue and created 1.8 million jobs across the country.

However, there has also been a marked spike in gambling addiction since 2018 when the app-based sports gambling boom started. Heads of several problem gambling centers report increased hotline calls and more severe problems such as bankruptcies and foreclosures related to sports gambling.

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