Ticket (admission)

Members of the public can buy a ticket at a ticket window or counter, called a box office in the entertainment industry (this term also refers to total receipts), or online or by telephone. Tickets may also be sold by resellers, commercial entities that purchase tickets in bulk and resell them to the public with a surcharge. Consumers use resellers for convenience and availability, especially when primary tickets are sold out.

On some bus or train journeys, both free and reserved seating are available, typically with an extra charge for a reserved seat. With free seating, passengers may have to stand on crowded services. In contrast, in arenas, cinemas, or theatres, free seating guarantees a seat, but not a specific one.

Paper or card is generally used, although plastic may be used for durability. Some tickets include a barcode or magnetic stripe for storing data; higher-end tickets may include chips that store more data and help prevent counterfeiting.

A paper ticket is often perforated into two parts: a ticket stub for the customer and a section kept by the ticket controller. Rules on leaving and re-entering vary; it may be restricted to prevent reuse, or allowed in venues such as cinemas for access to facilities during a performance.

Tickets may be printed in advance, fully or partially printed at issue, or completed by hand (e.g., by a train conductor carrying blank forms and a pen).

Security issues

Counterfeit tickets

Counterfeit tickets are a problem at high-priced concerts and other events, so holograms are used on tickets for the FIFA World Cup, Olympic Games, Super Bowl, and other high-profile events.

Ticket "pass-backs"

Passing back a ticket refers to a fraudulent practice where an attendee, after entering an event using a physical ticket, attempts to give or "pass back" their used ticket to another person outside the venue. This allows the second person to then use the same ticket to gain unauthorized entry, essentially circumventing the entry fee. This scam is particularly prevalent at events where tickets are simply scanned or torn upon entry without further authentication or where re-entry is permitted, allowing the original ticket holder to exit and hand off the ticket.

Duplicate ticket / Multiple use fraud

This scam involves selling or distributing multiple copies of a single, valid admission ticket (whether digital or physical) to different individuals. The first person to successfully use the ticket (e.g., by scanning a barcode or QR code) gains entry, while all subsequent attempts with the identical ticket are denied. Event organizers implement measures, such as real-time scanning and validation systems, to detect and prevent such repeated use of the same admission right. To counter such fraud, the QR code on each issued ticket is typically a unique, server-generated token whose payload is cross-checked against a central database at scan time; some platforms have moved to dynamic codes that refresh on the holder's device every few seconds, so that a screenshot or photocopy expires before it can be reused.

Internet ticket fraud

Online ticket fraud is widespread, with deceptive websites designed to look authentic stealing customers' money by failing to deliver tickets. A notable instance of this was during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, where many fraudulent ticket websites operated from outside China, leaving buyers without valid admission.