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When we first decided we wanted to learn more about buying and selling Tickets - we didn’t really know where to start.

That was 10 years ago.  Years before eBay and StubHub were as huge as they are today.

We contacted a few Ticket Brokers and learned that they hire people to “pull tickets.”   Since many shows have residency requirements, or rules on how many tickets one person can purchase, Brokers use other people to buy tickets for them.

It’s quite simple.  The Brokers usually email their “pullers” the day before the tickets go on sale.  The email contains everything the “puller” would need to buy tickets for the Broker the next day. 

Here is an example:

Hannah Montana, Verizon Center - Washington, DC, On sale 10am tomorrow, Show Date 1/7/08.  Buy any floors Floors, and first 10 rows of lower level.  Even pairs only, no singles.  Ship 2nd day.  $10 per ticket Floors.  $7 per ticket lowers.  Will take all you can buy.

The “puller” simply logs in and buys everything he can that meets the Brokers requirements.

Once the tickets arrive at the “pullers” address, they are reshipped to the Broker.

The Broker pays the “puller” for the tickets costs, convenience charges, fees, shipping, etc and also tacks on the commission stated above.

Usually the ‘puller” is paid in full within 7 days of the original ticket purchase.

Let’s say the ticket puller had 2 credit cards, and the event  had an 8 ticket limit.  And he got lucky and was able to pull all floor seats.  He could make $160 (2 cards x 8 tickets per card x $10 per ticket.)   Let’s say he had one credit card, and only bought 4 tickets, and the tickets were lower level.  Still $28 (1 card x 4 tickets x $7 per ticket.) 

Buying the tickets takes about 5-10 minutes.  Reshipping them is another 5-10 minutes.  $28-$160 for 20 minutes of work.

The best part is you have NO risk.  The Broker has told you that he wants specific tickets, and he has told you what he will pay for them.  You don’t have to worry about anything the broker has to worry about (laws, demand for tickets, marketing, etc.)  It takes all the guesswork and risk out of the equation.

The other big advantage to starting out this way is that you will learn a ton about what shows to buy, what seats to focus on, and some trick and tips for how to get the seats.  Once you get your free education, and build up your startup capital - you can start buying and selling for yourself.

If you are interested, call or email a few Brokers.  Simply ask them if they ever hire people to “pull” tickets.  Explain that you are interested in working with them.  It’s that simple.

Good Luck! 

If you have been to Vegas in the past few years you know it is no longer the land of cheap rooms, free tickets, and $1 buffets.  In fact, recent reports confirm that Las Vegas Casinos earn more revenue annually from their hotels, food, and shows than they do gaming.

Show tickets for the hottest productions like Celine Dion, Jerry Seinfeld, any of the Cirque Du Soleil shows, or La Rev can easily cost over $100 per ticket. 

Even at those prices, many shows sell out months in advance.

There are few hard fast rules for Vegas show tickets, but here are several tips that may increase your chances for better seats at the best possible price:

1.  If you are set on seeing a particular show, make sure you make the show part of your planning process.  When checking airfare and hotel prices, check to see if tickets are available for the show you would like to see.  Remember, most shows are “black” 2 nights per week.

2.  Most show are housed in Casino / Hotels.  Most of the tickets are sold to the general public - so it does not matter if you are staying on that property, if you have the cash you can buy a ticket.  Many Hotels also keep an allotment for their regular guests.  They sometimes have packages that include show tickets.  It can definitely help to be staying at a hotel (or in the same family of hotels) as the show you would like to see.  Last, VIPs are often given free tickets or access to tickets based on the amount they wager in the Casinos.

3.  Because the Casinos cater to the big players, they always keep some tickets from being sold for every show.  There is no such thing as a sold out show in Vegas until the show begins.  These extra tickets are often released an hour before the show right up until the minute the show begins.  Check with the box office to see if they have a process for selling last minute cancellations or standby tickets.

4.  Do not underestimate the value of tipping in Vegas.  Unlike any other city - everyone seems to make a little cash on every interaction.  I always tip the front desk person when checking in.  Usually $20 - and I always end up with a suite or better, and always have a great view of the strip.  It’s hard to do it the first time, but it’s common in Vegas.  Tipping the Box Office person or Concierge often helps tickets magically appear.

5.  If you are not set on a specific show - take advantage of www.Tikets2nite.com.  This agency sells tickets for all the major shows at 25%-50% off the face value of the ticket.  Basically, if a show has tickets that have gone unsold for some reason, they sell them through Tickets2nite.  You can visit their location on the strip or call them anytime after 10:30am for shows later that evening.  No need to go to their location - you can check for show availability, pricing, and even purchase tickets over the phone!  I have seen some really big name show for half price through this service.

6.  Many of the lesser name shows or smaller casinos offer free tickets with the purchase of a couple of drinks.  Dozens more offer buy 1 ticket get one free ticket specials.  Ask your concierge, or pick up one of the many free magazines available in the hotels for coupons and specials.

7.  If you are a comedy fan, check out one of the half dozen comedy clubs in Las Vegas, and check to see who the headliners are that week.  Big name headliners fly in and out each week, some on short notice - so ask around.  Again, the magazines, concierge, or even the cabbies can give you a hot tip on who is in town that week.

Good Luck - and remember, $200 spent on a show could save you $1000’s in the casino!

Ticketmaster has always been the powerhouse when it comes to Ticket sales directly to the public.  Most venues, concerts, and sports teams use Ticketmaster to handle the initial sale of tickets.

Having said that, Ticketmaster has never been a player in the secondary ticket market.  Instead, billions of dollars are spent on tickets via eBay, StubHub, and Ticket Brokers.

Times are changing:  Ticketmaster now allows fans or Brokers to sell tickets through TicketExchange.

The concept is simple.  You go to Ticketmaster and look for tickets at face value.  If they are unavailable, you can click on the TicketExchange tab, and see if Tickets are available from other Sellers who have listed them on Ticketmaster for resale.  Most events are available, but not all.

Fans and Brokers can set their selling price anywhere they want, and Buyers are able to see the Sections, Rows, and Seats available.  Both the Seller and Buyer pay fees that are typical with any ticket transaction (although they vary by event.)

Buyers pay with their major Credit Card and are dealing directly with Ticketmaster, not the Seller.  I consider this a major advantage to buying tickets through TicketExchange.  Once you have completed payment, your tickets will be shipped either via UPS or e-mail - your choice.

There are other major advantages  for using Ticketmaster’s TicketExchange.  First, sometimes there are great deals to be found.  Like any site where fans list tickets - most tickets are prices accurately, but some are way overpriced and some are underpriced.  This can be an excellent opportunity to buy tickets at face value or lower.  If you are wondering why fans sometimes price their tickets too low - the answer is usually one of the following:  they don’t know what the market value is for the tickets, they don’t want to risk breaking the laws for selling tickets, or they are simply fans wanting to help other fans.

Possibly the largest advantage to buying tickets through TicketExchange is that they are the only tickets on the secondary market that are 100% guaranteed to be authentic.  That’s because when you sell your tickets on TicketExchange, you have to provide the barcodes on the original tickets.  Ticketmaster verifies their authenticity before placing them for sale.  Once purchased, Ticketmaster cancels the original barcodes, and issues new barcodes for your new tickets. 

Next time you need tickets for a sold out event, check out Ticketmaster’s TicketExchange:  http://www.ticketmaster.com/ticketexchangehome/