Las Vegas Marathon Offers Betting

History will be made at this weekend's New Las Vegas Marathon when runners will not only be able to run the world Famous Las Vegas Strip for the first time, but they will be part of the only marathon in the nation in which you can place a bet. In order to bring an unprecedented level of excitement to the race, bettors will be able to wage on the winner of "The Challenge," the top male and female professional runners.

This Friday at 1:00 p.m. at the Professional Runners News Conference, the New Las Vegas Marathon will announce the time differential for "The Challenge." The Challenge is an L.A. Marathon innovation in which the Professional Women Runners start the race in advance of the Professional Men. Historic statistics of this year's field of professional runners will determine the time differential. The first runner to cross the Finish Line wins a $50,000 first place cash prize and a $50,000 bonus for winning "The Challenge."

Fans can place bets on the New Las Vegas Marathon starting this afternoon at Mandalay Bay.

"This is a very exciting development that speaks to the quality of our professional runners and instantly establishes the New Las Vegas Marathon as a serious race," said New Las Vegas Marathon President William A. Burke.