If you’ve ever tried to buy tickets on Ticketmaster and gotten blocked or flagged as a bot, you know how frustrating that can be. The good news is that getting mistaken for a bot is usually temporary if you are a real human user. Here’s a detailed look at why Ticketmaster flags accounts as bots, how long the blocks or limits typically last, and what you can do to avoid issues in the future.
Why Does Ticketmaster Think I’m a Bot?
Ticketmaster has several safeguards in place to detect and block bots from buying up tickets. This is meant to help real fans get access to tickets instead of scalpers and resellers using bots. However, legitimate users sometimes get incorrectly flagged if their activity seems suspicious. Here are some of the main reasons Ticketmaster might think you are a bot:
- Making too many searches or page requests in a short time
- Repeating the same search or action over and over
- Using multiple different accounts from the same IP address
- Using an anonymous proxy IP address that hides your location
- Entering information too quickly or perfectly during checkout
- Purchasing a high volume of tickets in a short time
Often just one of these behaviors alone won’t trigger a bot flag. But if you do several things that seem bot-like, Ticketmaster’s algorithms may block your account as a precaution until further review.
How Long Will the Bot Block Last?
If Ticketmaster flags your account as a bot, the block duration can vary depending on the reason and severity. Here are some typical time periods you may experience:
- Minutes to hours – For minor or accidental flags, you may regain access quickly
- 24 hours – A standard temporary block for suspicious activity
- 3-5 days – For repeated bot-like patterns or abuse of the system
- 1-2 weeks – In cases of clear violations of the Terms of Use
- Permanent – If confirmed as an actual bot or scalper account
In most cases for everyday users, getting mistaken for a bot results in a block of 24 hours or less. Ticketmaster understands that fans sometimes make rapid-fire searches trying to get hot tickets. As long as the activity doesn’t cross over into clear abuse, your access will be restored quickly.
Preventing Future Bot Flags
While bot blocks are usually temporary, it’s understandably annoying to deal with. Here are some tips to avoid getting flagged as a bot on Ticketmaster:
- Only make searches when you seriously intend to buy tickets
- Limit searches to 1-2 per event instead of repeating constantly
- Use a single Ticketmaster account from one IP address
- Don’t use anonymous proxy IPs or VPNs
- Enter info carefully during checkout instead of rushing
- Only purchase tickets for events you genuinely plan to attend
Checking for ticket availability 1-2 times per event and limiting searches is perfectly normal fan behavior. Just don’t hammer the site with endless lookups or create multiple accounts, as that will probably trigger a bot flag.
Appealing Bot Blocks or Limits
If you feel your block or limitation on Ticketmaster is unjustified, you can contact customer support and appeal the decision. Be polite in your appeal, explain your situation, and request a review of any bot flags on your account. Note that permanently banned accounts are rarely reinstated, but for short blocks or limits, a quick appeal is often successful as long as your usage was legitimate.
Using Different Accounts, Devices, and Networks
One common ticket buying strategy is to use multiple devices on different internet connections, all logged into separate Ticketmaster accounts. While this does maximize your chances, it also looks suspicious to Ticketmaster’s bot detection if overdone. Here are some best practices:
- Limit to 2-3 accounts from different households
- Don’t create brand new accounts right before a sale
- Use accounts with real previous Ticketmaster activity
- Don’t search repeatedly from all accounts and devices
- Stick to home WiFi and mobile data, avoid public proxies
Using a reasonable strategy across a couple accounts and networks is fine. Just don’t bombard Ticketmaster with an army of new accounts or repeat searches from endless devices, locations, and IPs.
Purchasing Groups of Tickets
Trying to buy tickets for a group can also trigger bot suspicions. Buying 4-6+ tickets at once, especially for a hot show, can appear like scalping. Some best practices include:
- Split larger groups into smaller purchases from different accounts
- Don’t buy large groups all on anonymous or new accounts
- Limit group purchases to events you clearly plan on attending
- Avoid immediately re-listing groups of tickets after buying
There’s nothing inherently wrong with buying tickets for you and your friends. Just don’t use brand new accounts to purchase dozens of tickets all at once, or you may get flagged.
Automated Checkout Tools
Services exist that claim to automate Ticketmaster checkout faster than humans can do it manually. However, these are risky: Ticketmaster prohibits automated purchase tools in its Terms of Use. Getting caught using an auto-checkout bot can lead to permanent loss of Ticktmaster privileges.
Summary
Ticketmaster is diligent about detecting bots to ensure fairness, so getting temporarily blocked can happen to legitimate users too. The good news is these mistaken flags are usually lifted quickly. Just be patient, limit repetitive searches, and appeal any unjustified blocks. With some care, you can maintain full access to buy the tickets you want.