As the popularity of the half marathon grows, Great North Run is expected to attract almost 60,000 competitors for the 2016 edition.

As a sport, half marathon has been growing in popularity in the last decade. One of the world’s largest half marathons takes place in the North East of England and it is known as the Great North Run.

Estimated 57,000 runners are expected to take part in the 2016 edition, which starts on September 11. The event began in 1981 with just 12,000 competitors covering the 13.1-mile course, which was between Newcastle upon Tyne and South Shields. Over the years, the number of competitors has swelled rapidly to the current numbers.

Great North Run - History

Part of the International Association of Athletics Federations, Great North Run created history in 2014 when the event recorded its millionth finisher. Thus, it became the first event in the world to do so. The 2016 edition will be the 36th in the history of the event and the organisers are planning to get at least one runner from every part of the globe.

As a result, betting tips will be available worldwide since there is representation from 193 countries. It is estimated that the North East of England will have an economic benefit of around £24 million as a result of this event alone. This is in addition to punters who will be able to make money by utilising the best odds concerning this event.

Who Are The Favourites?

The Brits initially enjoyed a lot of success in this event before it became an African dominated sport in terms of winners. Kenya and Tanzania have had the most number of winners in the last decade, but the British are showing signs of a comeback in the last two years. Mo Farah has managed to win the title for the past two seasons. He managed to better his time of 1:00:00 in the 2014 edition to the 59:22 mark for the 2015 edition. Farah is favourite among bet online odds to retain the title.

The Great North Run not only has the history but it also has the competitors to match it. In terms of competitors, only the London Marathon and the Great Manchester Run can come close to the Great North Run. After having witnessed Farah finish the race in less than an hour, most bets will be on the 2016 event to create a new record in terms of finishing times. At present, Martin Mathathi holds the record – set in 2011 – for the fastest finish at 58:56 minutes.

While the organisers are waiting to welcome thousands of runners, walkers, joggers, fancy dress heroes and elite athletes to 2016's Great North Run on Sunday 11 September, you can start betting today on the names mentioned above. Remember: Kenyans always do great. Soak up the atmosphere from the comfort of your home, as many of our partner bookmakers offer the possibility of watching the race online. It's up to you decide whether you want to start winning today or postpone it for another time.

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