When was the last time you needed a ticket? Chances are that if you attended a play, movie, sporting event or even rock concert you had to purchase tickets in order to gain admittance. It is a common practice that has been around for quite some time. People needed a way to show that they had paid for admittance to a particular event.

Even in ancient history there was still this need. As time has changed so too has the standard event ticket. Once you had to buy them in person at the event but now you have the option of buying online and printing your own ticket immediately. That is a great convenience! If you are new to the world of tickets or simply need to brush up on the facts, you have come to the right place. This article will cover the basics of ticketing and how tickets can be purchased the right way and the wrong way.

What are tickets used for?

Tickets are used to gain admittance to an event. It does not matter what the event is, it is a way for the hosts of the event to keep track of how many people were at the event and it allows ticket holders to have a way into the event. Tickets are used for sporting events, musical acts, plays, movies and even used in today's casinos as a different monetary form. Tickets have a long history dating back to the earliest plays performed for the Ancient Greeks. Stubs would be purchased so that audience members could show that they paid for their way into the theater. Even school's issue tickets for various activities and as rewards. You would be hard pressed to find any event or happening that does not use a ticket in some way.

Can tickets to an event be purchased online?

Thanks to today's internet you can now purchase tickets in advance online. Most ticket sellers such as Ticketmaster will post an event weeks before the show and you will know when to purchase your ticket. You can even buy tickets to sporting events, shows and other events online at popular auction sites like Ebay. Purchasing a ticket online does have its risks though as some ticket sellers will sell fake tickets in order to make money. But if you buy from a reputable ticket broker you will not have to worry about this. In this case it definitely pays to know where to shop.

If I have a ticket to a sporting event and I cannot attend, can I sell it?

Yes, you can sell your ticket to the big game if you cannot attend. There is a hitch though. Many states have laws that state that you cannot make a profit on the ticket. So you cannot pay $30.00 for a basketball game ticket and then turn around and sell it for $300.00 legally. Before you put your ticket up for sale you will need to check with your state's laws regarding selling tickets. You definitely do not want to get arrested for ticket scalping.

What is ticket scalping?

Ticket scalping is the business of buying up huge lots of tickets when they go on sale and then turning around to sell them for a profit. In many states this is very illegal and you can be arrested. There is no law that says you cannot sell a ticket you have purchased…just laws stating how much profit you can make on that said ticket. If you are buying tickets from a scalper you can expect to pay a lot more than the issuance price. You now have to worry about whether or not the ticket is real. There have been many cases of tickets being sold by scalpers that turn out to be fake.

What forms of identification must I present in order to purchase my ticket?

If you are purchasing your ticket in person from an authorized selling agent you will only have to pay for the ticket. You will not have to present any identification. If you are buying the tickets online you will need a valid credit card. The only case where you will have to present identification is in the case of will call tickets.

What is will call?

Will call is when you buy a ticket online or over the phone and instead of having it mailed to you, you pick it up at the will call window on the day of the event. When you purchase a ticket this way you will need valid identification such as a driver's license and the credit card the tickets were purchased on. When you arrive at the event make sure to arrive a little bit early so that you can pick up your tickets. Using will call ticket services can be problematic if something occurs and you cannot go. No one else is allowed to pick up those tickets besides the person whose credit card was charged.

Are casino's now using a ticket system instead of coins?

One of the big changes in casinos lately has been the use of a ticketing system rather than coins for slot machines and video poker machines. In the past you would insert tokens or coins in order to play. If you won you would be rewarded by the clicking and clanging of coins spilling from the machine. In modernized casinos you get a printed ticket that you take to the cashier's cage. This ticketing system saves you from having to carry around a bucket filled with coins and tokens. It also saves the casino time from having to count the coins and it helps eliminate cheating.

What should I know about buying tickets off Ebay?

There are quite a few things you need to consider before you purchase tickets from an Ebay auction. The first thing is the seller's reputation or feedback score. If the seller has a reputation of not delivering his or her merchandise or has a poor feedback score you may want to reconsider buying from that particular seller. The next thing you have to worry about is cost. Many sellers have found a way around ticket scalping laws by selling the ticket as a bonus. Take for example the recent Hanna Montana concerts. Ticket sellers would post a shirt and then offer the tickets as a bonus. That way people were actually bidding on the shirt and sometimes these bids were reaching thousands of dollars. The final worry about purchasing from Ebay is whether or not the ticket is real or if it is fake. Many buyers have spent big money on a favorite sporting or music event only to find out that their ticket was a fraud.

How do I know if a ticket is fake?

Unfortunately you will not know that a ticket is fake until you take it to the venue at which the event is happening. It can be extremely disheartening to learn you paid out hundreds of dollars on a ticket that is a scam. It is something to definitely worry about if you are dealing with a ticket seller that you do not know. The easiest way to avoid this scenario is to only buy from authorized ticket sellers such as Ticketmaster or the venue itself.

What happens if I present a fake ticket?

If you present a fake ticket you will be denied entry into the event. Yes, it may be frustrating and you will be justifiably angry but the only one to blame is yourself for taking that chance. Just remember this: if it sounds too good to be true…it probably is. There are a lot of scams on the internet and in the world so it pays to do your homework and do some research on the agency or person that is trying to sell you the ticket. If you happen to buy a fake ticket and then try to resell it, even without knowing it is a fake, you can be arrested.

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