2024 London Marathon betting tips: Men's and women's race predictions, odds & free bets

2024 London Marathon betting tips

• Alexander Mutiso to win men’s London Marathon - 1pt @ 5/1 with bet365
• Tigst Assefa to win women’s London Marathon - 2pts @ 17/20 with Unibet
• Peres Jepchirchir to win women’s London Marathon - 1pt E/W @ 16/1 with bet365

The London Marathon on Sunday morning is one of the highlights of the sporting year in the British capital with over 50,000 runners lining up at the start in Blackheath. They will then, hopefully, cover the full distance of 26 miles and 385 yards (42.195km) with the finish on the Mall in Westminster.

As one of the six Abbott Marathon Majors, London regularly attracts top elite runners and this year is no exception. Tragically, last year’s men’s winner Kelvin Kiptum - who subsequently broke the world record in Chicago last October - was killed in a car crash in his native Kenya in February but will be remembered with a tribute before the race.

Mutiso the men’s value runner

With double Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge running in Tokyo last month, the men’s field is perhaps lacking star quality with 2022 world champion Tamirat Tola the favourite with online betting sites. The Ethiopian was third in London 12 months ago before claiming his first Marathon Major title in New York City in November.

Tola’s compatriot Mosinet Geremew and Alexander Mutiso are next in the London Marathon odds. Geremew was runner-up in 2019 behind Kipchoge and has two silver medals at World Championships, the second of those behind Tola in Eugene two years ago. The 32-year-old has not raced competitively since that second world silver so his price seems on the short side.

Mutiso looks far more interesting as a betting proposition. In his first proper attempt at the marathon, in Valencia in 2022, he finished third behind fellow Kenyan Kiptum and 11 seconds ahead of Tola. 

He followed that up with victory in Prague last year before taking second in Valencia behind this week’s Boston Marathon winner Sisay Lemma. Dawit Wolde and veteran Kenenisa Bekele, both of whom are also prominent in the betting, were behind him in eastern Spain.

What stands out for Mutiso is his personal best of 2:03:11 set in Valencia last year. You have to go back to 2021 for Tola’s career best time of 2:03:39 in Amsterdam. While Kiptum’s course record of 2:01:25 is not in danger, 25-year-old Mutiso appears to be improving and therefore more likely to run the 2:03 required to win this. 

At 5/1 on gambling sites, he looks good value for those wishing to oppose the favourite.

London Marathon Tip 1: Alexander Mutiso to win men’s London Marathon - 1pt @ 5/1 with bet365

Assefa tough to oppose in women’s race

World record holder Tigst Assefa heads a stellar cast in the women’s elite race with London Marathon event director Hugh Brasher predicting the women’s only record, set by Mary Keitany in 2017, will fall.

Assefa ran 2:11:53 in Berlin last September to take more than two minutes off Brigid Kosgei’s previous mark from Chicago in 2019. The Ethiopian is a warm favourite at 17/20 on betting apps to follow up in London with Kosgei and another Kenyan, 2019 champion and two-time Chicago winner Ruth Chepngetich, next at 13/2.

The manner of Assefa’s victory in Berlin - she was almost six minutes clear of the field - makes her very hard to oppose. Anything close to a repeat of that performance would see her win comfortably and her price is probably a bit bigger than it should be.

London Marathon Tip 2: Tigst Assefa to win women’s London Marathon - 2pts @ 17/20 with Unibet

Jepchirchir may prove best of the rest

Among the runners at bigger prices, 2022 winner Yalemzerf Yehualaw is a 10/1 shot after finishing fifth behind Sifan Hassan in last year’s race. That was a strangely-run race with Hassan taking victory on her marathon debut having somehow worked her way back up to the lead group. 

This year’s renewal should follow a more normal pattern and Yehualaw, who is still only 24 after becoming the race’s youngest winner two years ago, can make her presence felt.

Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir was third last year behind Hassan and Alemu Megertu. The Kenyan had won all five of her previous marathons, and it could be that she was another one affected by Hassan’s presence. 

Disregarding last year’s race, Jepchirchir looks a big price at 16/1 and that makes some appeal as an each-way bet with bet365 paying out a third of the odds for the first two. Megertu, who was third in 2022, is also tempting at 18/1,

While Assefa will likely run clear of her rivals, Jepchirchir has a good chance of winning the race for second place and could benefit were anything unforeseen to befall the Ethiopian star.

London Marathon Tip 3: Peres Jepchirchir to win women’s London Marathon - 1pt E/W @ 16/1 with bet365

Free bet offers for the London Marathon

For those wishing to follow our London Marathon predictions, there's an opportunity to earn free bets for wagering on both this year's races.

Bet365 have markets on both elite races and they are currently giving new users up to £30 in free bets when they open an account using the bet365 promo code INDY2024. 

Once you are registered, deposit at least £10. To unlock the free bets, place a wager to the value of your qualifying deposit on a selection with odds of 1/5 or greater.

After your qualifying bet has been settled, you'll receive your free bets. Bet365 are also giving away 50 free spins on their slot sites when you join their UK casino.

Before you sign up with any new betting sites, please read the terms and conditions of the offer first. If you do have a bet this weekend, please gamble responsibly.