When trying to purchase tickets on Ticketmaster, you may encounter a message stating that you are “over the ticket limit”. This simply means that you have attempted to add more tickets to your shopping cart than the maximum number allowed for that event.
Why do ticket limits exist?
Ticket limits are implemented by event organizers and venues to help prevent ticket brokers and scalpers from buying up all of the tickets and reselling them at inflated prices. By capping the number of tickets each customer can purchase, it allows more real fans to get access to tickets at face value.
Some common ticket limit ranges per customer include:
- 4-8 tickets for general concerts/shows
- 2-4 tickets for high demand concerts/sporting events
- 6-12 tickets for group sales to events like festivals
The specific ticket limit is determined on an event-by-event basis depending on factors like venue size, expected demand, and the preferences of the artist/team/organizer.
When you may see the “over ticket limit” message
There are a few common scenarios where you may encounter the over ticket limit message on Ticketmaster:
- You attempt to add more tickets to your cart than the set limit. For example, trying to buy 10 tickets when the event has a 6 ticket limit.
- You have multiple tabs/devices open and your total selection across them exceeds the limit. Ticketmaster tracks tickets per customer, not per transaction.
- You are selecting tickets across multiple price tiers that have different ticket limits. For example, if floor seats have a 4 ticket limit and upper level seats have an 8 ticket limit.
- You are combining multiple promotions/discounts that individually have lower limits. Like a 4 ticket limit on a fan club presale and a 2 ticket VIP package limit.
When ticket limits don’t apply
While most events will enforce some kind of ticket purchasing limit, there are certain scenarios where you may be able to purchase above the standard limits:
- Official platinum seats – These are market-priced tickets sold directly by Ticketmaster to high demand events. They do not have ticket limits.
- Suite or VIP packages – Luxury suites and high-end VIP packages at some venues may not have standard ticket limits.
- Group sales – Buying tickets for an organized group, especially through an official group sales agent, may allow you to purchase beyond the individual limit.
- Fan presales – Limits are sometimes higher or nonexistent during presales for fan club members and certain credit card holders.
- Ticket auctions – Ticketmaster’s ticket auction platform TM+ does not have a ticket limit.
Approved exceptions
In very rare cases, Ticketmaster may make an exception and allow you to purchase above the ticket limit. This requires direct approval from the event organizer and venue. Reasons they may approve a limit override include:
- You have an exceptionally large family or group that necessitates more tickets.
- You are a well-known high-roller or celebrity accomodated at the artist/team’s request.
- You are a community leader purchasing tickets for underprivileged groups.
- You have a personal connection that grants you special permission.
However, most customers will not have access to ticket limit exemptions or overrides. Unless you have special elite status or connections, it is unlikely you’ll be able to successfully acquire tickets over the set limit.
Tips for dealing with ticket limits
If you hope to purchase tickets for a group that exceeds the standard limits, here are some tips to increase your chances:
- Have each member of your group purchase tickets separately using different Ticketmaster accounts and payment details. This allows you to in aggregate acquire more tickets while staying under the individual limit per account.
- Stagger your ticket purchases across presales, general onsales, and any verified resale windows. Limits sometimes vary across different sale phases for the same event.
- Check with the box office or venue directly to inquire about special group sales or ticket packages that may have higher limits.
- Consider breaking up your group across multiple price tiers or ticket types that may have varying limits. Get some floor seats and some upper level seats rather than all floor, for example.
- Purchase the maximum you can get during presales then try again during general onsale when any account holds from presales are released.
If splitting up your group across accounts and staggered sales is not feasible, the best option is to contact the event organizer or venue box office directly to inquire about official group sales packages and rates. They can accommodate large groups much easier than the standard Ticketmaster consumer ticketing website.
Why ticket limits are important
While ticket purchase limits can be frustrating for fans, they serve an important purpose in keeping tickets accessible and affordable. Without limits in place:
- Bots and scalpers could buy up massive quantities of tickets the moment they go on sale.
- Tickets would appear on resale sites instantly at inflated prices.
- Regular fans would be completely shut out from buying tickets at face value prices.
- Scarcity would drive up secondary market prices to astronomical levels.
By enforcing reasonable ticket limits, real fans have a fair shot at getting tickets before brokers and scalpers can sweep in and take over. Events can maintain some degree of price integrity and accessibility to the general public.
Artists, teams, and venues want real fans filling the seats at their events. Ticket purchasing limits help make that possible, even if it requires some extra planning for large groups.
Is there a way around ticket limits?
Trying to circumvent ticket limits is not recommended and may result in order cancellations or bans from Ticketmaster. Some of the ways scalpers attempt to cheat ticket limits include:
- Using botnets to flood Ticketmaster with thousands of automated ticket requests across proxies and spoofed IDs.
- Programming scripts that automate ticket selection and checkout faster than humans can purchase.
- Purchasing large blocks of tickets through compromised insider accounts.
- Spoofing identity details and payment credentials to open unlimited accounts.
These tactics exploit weaknesses in Ticketmaster’s security systems and website behavior monitoring. They enable large-scale purchases through brute speed and force. However, Ticketmaster is constantly improving their bot detection and mitigation capabilities. Cheaters also risk account bans and criminal charges for ticket scalping in many jurisdictions.
For the average customer, trying to exceed ticket limits by opening multiple accounts or enlisting friends and family will not be very successful either. Ticketmaster has gotten very sophisticated in linking accounts to single buyers and identifying abnormal purchase patterns.
The best way to acquire a large quantity of tickets is through patience and persistence across presales, general sales, and legit resale windows – not through tricks and workarounds attempting to bypass limits.
Conclusion
Ticket purchasing limits on sites like Ticketmaster are designed to give more fans a chance at buying tickets at face value prices for high demand events. While they can be an obstacle for large groups, there are ways to strategically work within the set limits across multiple accounts and sales. Attempting to circumvent limits through technical exploits rarely works out these days and risks getting accounts banned.
For best results, be prepared across presales and general onsales, leverage group sales options, and split purchases intelligently amongst your group. With smart planning, you can maximize your chances of getting more tickets while respecting the rules and purpose behind ticket limits.
