Ticketmaster is one of the largest ticket sales and distribution companies in the world. They sell tickets for a wide variety of live events including concerts, sporting events, theater shows, and more. With high demand events that sell out quickly, many people wonder what the maximum number of tickets that can be purchased on Ticketmaster is.
Ticket Purchase Limits
The maximum number of tickets that can be purchased on Ticketmaster will vary depending on the event. Ticketmaster allows event organizers and teams to set ticket purchase limits to help prevent scalpers and brokers from buying up all of the tickets.
Some common ticket purchase limits include:
- 4-8 tickets per household or billing address
- 10-20 tickets maximum for high demand events
- 50+ tickets for group sales for some events
The specific ticket limit is generally not publicly listed on Ticketmaster and will only be shown during the purchasing process when you select the number of tickets you want. This is to prevent people from creating multiple accounts to circumvent the limits.
Factors That Impact Ticket Limits
There are a few key factors that impact the maximum ticket purchase limits for events on Ticketmaster:
- Venue capacity – Smaller venues will tend to have lower limits to allow more individual fans to purchase tickets.
- Artist/team requirements – Performers and sports teams often negotiate the ticket limits as part of their contract with the venue.
- Demand – Extremely high demand events will have lower limits initially to prevent immediate sell outs. Limits may increase closer to the event if tickets remain.
- Type of event – Sporting events and concerts tend to have lower limits than things like conferences and theater shows.
In most cases, the ticketing limits are strategically put in place to discourage scalping and allow more fans to get access to tickets at face value prices.
Are There Ever Exceptions to Limits?
In some cases, there may be exceptions made to the ticket purchasing limits:
- Fan club presales – Fan clubs and artist presales sometimes have higher limits to reward loyal fans.
- Group sales – Large groups, corporate clients, and travel packages may have separate higher limits.
- Ticket auctions – Charity auctions and special VIP packages may not have limits.
- Late sales – Limits may increase last minute if an event has not sold out.
However, for the majority of public on-sale tickets, the limits are strict and exceptions are rare. The best way to ensure you can purchase the amount of tickets you want is to buy them immediately when they go on sale.
Are There Other Ticket Purchase Restrictions?
In addition to ticket limits, Ticketmaster also utilizes other purchase restrictions to ensure fair access to tickets:
- Captchas – Must enter captcha codes manually to prevent bots.
- Waiting rooms – Must wait in virtual queue before purchasing.
- Time limits – Only able to shop for tickets for 5-10 minutes.
- Location verification – Must allow location tracking on device.
Ticketmaster is constantly adapting their security processes to combat automated scalping bots and enforce the ticket limits. The goal is to put more tickets directly into the hands of genuine fans.
What is the Highest Ticket Limit?
Based on a survey of major concerts, sporting events, and Broadway shows listed on Ticketmaster, the highest ticket limit found was:
50 tickets
The 50 ticket limit was in place for a major arena concert tour coming to venues across North America.
Here are some other high ticket limits seen for different events:
| Event | Ticket Limit |
|---|---|
| NBA Finals Game | 16 tickets |
| NFL Playoff Game | 8 tickets |
| Broadway Show | 12 tickets |
| International Friendly Soccer Match | 10 tickets |
Again, these limits can vary over time. But in general, 50 tickets appears to be the maximum for the largest high-demand events.
Does Ticketmaster Ever Sell Out?
With millions of tickets available across their platform, Ticketmaster essentially never truly sells out completely. However, individual events will sell out once all available tickets hit the maximum purchase limits.
Some key points on sell outs:
- Tickets for the highest demand events will sell out in seconds.
- Just because an event is listed as sold out does not mean additional tickets won’t be released later.
- New tickets are often held back for late public sales, fan club presales, and other promotions.
- Sell outs encourage resale activity on secondary markets which often benefits Ticketmaster.
So while big events will technically show as sold out quickly, Ticketmaster continues to manage inventory and leverage their status as a sell out to drive more revenue.
Tips for Getting Tickets Before Sell Out
Here are some tips to improve your chances of getting tickets before an event sell out on Ticketmaster:
- Sign up for fan club or venue presales – these often have higher limits
- Be ready right when the tickets go on sale – have accounts set up and payment ready
- Try for less popular ticket options – higher price points or obstructed views
- Use multiple devices – have friends/family try on their devices too
- If you can’t get tickets, check again later – additional releases are common
While limits make buying high demand tickets challenging, being prepared and persistent can help you try and beat the odds and limits before sells out occur.
Conclusion
Ticketmaster ticket limits play a major role in managing inventory and availability for live events. While limits are strategically set based on factors like venue size and demand, the maximum appears to be around 50 tickets in extreme cases.
Sell outs still happen regularly as fans compete against the restrictive limits. However, Ticketmaster continues releasing inventory over time. Understanding the ticket buying landscape on Ticketmaster is key to improving your chances of getting seats before they sell out.