For 2014 I didn't donate my fee and was unsuccessfull in the ballot. As an experiment, to see if it gave a boost in the ballot, for 2015 I donated my fee. I was also unsuccessfull in the ballot. Conclusion; sample size is too small to draw any conclusion, ask me again in a few thousand years.
Given the whole thing is a charity jamboree just give 'em your damn money. It'll assuage the guilt when you turn up at the start, pretending to be your brother, having given the whole fund raising/sponsorship palaver a swerve.
2014 donated fee and paid to get chance in second ballot. Didn't get in. Bought place from preferred charity. 2015 got ballot place. 2016 did not donate fee - if don't get in will buy another charity place. I doubt donating the fee makes any difference to your chances.
For 2014 I didn't donate my fee and was unsuccessfull in the ballot. As an experiment, to see if it gave a boost in the ballot, for 2015 I donated my fee. I was also unsuccessfull in the ballot. Conclusion; sample size is too small to draw any conclusion, ask me again in a few thousand years.
Given the whole thing is a charity jamboree just give 'em your damn money. It'll assuage the guilt when you turn up at the start, pretending to be your brother, having given the whole fund raising/sponsorship palaver a swerve.