The Atlantic City Marathon has been held annually since 1958 and ranks third among the oldest continuously held marathons in the United States. For more than six decades, runners from across the country and abroad have come to Atlantic City, New Jersey, to test themselves on one of the East Coast’s most iconic courses. In 2025, the races will take place the weekend of October 18–19.
The weekend program includes four distances designed for different fitness levels. Participants can choose from the marathon (42.195 km), half marathon, 10K, and 5K. Each format makes it possible to pick a challenge that matches your ability: from your first-ever 5K to a full marathon race.
Fast, flat, and oceanfront
The Atlantic City Marathon course is traditionally described by the formula “fast & flat.” Elevation change along the route is minimal, which creates great opportunities for setting personal bests. A special place on the course is an approximately 8-mile stretch along the oceanfront Boardwalk, one of the best-known pedestrian areas on the Atlantic Coast. The entire route runs through Absecon Island, so the race atmosphere is literally filled with sea air and panoramic coastal views.
Why is this marathon so important to the city’s economy?
This is a major public event that attracts thousands of participants and spectators every year. It is one of the events that helps Atlantic City remain competitive in the tourism market, despite the growth of the iGaming sector, which is making it increasingly difficult to attract casino-goers.
As part of exploring this topic, we go to this page and found out that modern players are increasingly interested in online gambling entertainment, especially live dealer games such as Andar Bahar. Games like Crazy Time, Funky Time, and the online version of Monopoly are no less popular. They make it possible to create a casino-like experience at home, so fewer and fewer people want to spend time and money traveling for gambling. Of course, with such games on their phones, people are less and less willing to visit land-based casinos. And this can affect the economies of cities that are associated with this kind of entertainment.
That’s a different story with a sports or cultural event. Such events really do actively attract tourists and help support the city’s economy. This is understood not only in Atlantic City, but also in Las Vegas, which is increasingly becoming the sports capital of the U.S. Proof of this is a bout between Bandido and Amazing Red.
Saturday, October 18: Shorter distances kick off the weekend
On the first day of the program, the 5K and 10K races start. Key details for Saturday:
• Start time: 9:00 a.m.
• Start location: 1900 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
• Bag check (bag check): 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 19: marathon and half marathon
The weekend’s main distances take place the next day. The Marathon and Half Marathon start from the same location:
• Start time: 8:00 a.m.
• Start location: 1900 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Where and when to pick up your race packet
The Expo and packet pickup are organized at Bally’s Atlantic City. The venue is located in the Treymore Ballroom on the 6th floor of the hotel at 1900 Pacific Ave., Atlantic City, NJ 08401. Hours are split across two days:
• Friday, October 17: 3:00–7:00 p.m.
• Saturday, October 18: 12:00–5:00 p.m.
Alternative pickup location in Cherry Hill
Organizers have provided an additional pickup point, but with a significant limitation: at Dick’s Sporting Goods, only bib pickup is available (bib pick up only), without the full participant packet. The store is located at 2130 Route 70 West, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002. The exact date and time for this pickup have not been announced yet and will be shared later.
Race-day morning pickup is available, but not for everyone
Only runners who pre-purchased the Race Day Packet Pick Up option will be able to pick up their bib right before the race. Without pre-booking, you can’t use race-day morning pickup. The schedule is as follows:
• Saturday, October 18 (5K and 10K): 7:00–8:00 a.m.
• Sunday, October 19 (Marathon and Half Marathon): 6:00–7:00 a.m.
Key details at a glance
The start area for both race days is at the same address: 1900 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401. The races take place on October 18 and 19. The primary way to get your race packet is to visit the Expo at Bally’s on October 17 or 18. Alternative options are limited: at Dick’s Sporting Goods you can pick up only your bib (date TBD), and race-day morning pickup is available by pre-purchase only.
