The guides
How to get tickets to the world's biggest events
These are plain, fan-to-fan guides to entering the official ticket ballots for the biggest events in sport. Every one is free to enter where we say so, and the only route we ever headline is the official one.
A ballot (also called a lottery, draw or drawing) is how organizers hand out high-demand tickets: you register in a set window, winners are picked at random, and you pay face value only if you are drawn. Here is how to enter each one.
Asian Games 2026 Tickets: No Lottery, First Come First Served
Last verified 7 September 2026
There is no ballot for the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026. Tickets are sold first come, first served to anyone worldwide with a free Supporter ID, and general sale has been open since 30 June 2026, running until each session date. The Games run 19 September to 4 October 2026.
Great North Run 2027 ballot: closes 20 September, how to enter
Last verified 8 September 2026
The AJ Bell Great North Run 2027 September Ballot is free to enter and closes 23:59 on Sunday 20 September 2026, drawn the next day. Entry costs GBP 70, charged only if you are selected. What the confirmed dates are, and what a second January round would mean.
Australian Open 2027 Tickets: There Is No Ballot
Last verified 17 August 2026
The Australian Open has no ticket ballot. AO 2027 tickets went on general sale on 13 August 2026, the earliest on-sale ever, and Ground Pass allocations are capped for the first time. The official route, in order.
Chicago Marathon 2027 Drawing: How to Enter, and When
Last verified 10 August 2026
The Chicago Marathon 2027 non-guaranteed entry drawing is free to apply for and expected to open around late October 2026. Entry fees, the guaranteed routes, and what the 2026 cycle did.
US Open 2026 Tickets: There Is No Ballot, Here Is the Route
Last verified 7 September 2026
The US Open runs no ticket ballot or lottery. 2026 tickets have been on general sale since 28 May via Ticketmaster, Fan Week starts 23 August and the main draw runs 30 August to 13 September.
AIG Women's Open tickets: is there a ballot, and what now that it is sold out?
Last verified 2 August 2026
There is no ballot for the AIG Women's Open. Tickets are a first come, first served sale, and the 2026 championship at Royal Lytham sold out before it started. The official routes now, and how to be ready for Royal St George's in 2027.
Euro 2028 ballot: when tickets go on sale and how it works
Last verified 24 July 2026
Euro 2028 tickets go on sale only after the final tournament draw, expected December 2027, allocated by a free-entry ballot with no dynamic pricing. Full details and prices land in autumn 2027.
Wimbledon 2027 Ballot Results: When Do You Find Out?
Last verified 2 September 2026
Wimbledon public ballot results arrive by email as rolling ticket offers, expected from October 2026 onwards for the 2027 Championships, with around 14 days to pay. What the offer looks like, what no email yet means, and what to do if you miss out.
Ryder Cup 2027 ballot results are out, and general admission has sold out
Last verified 2 August 2026
Ryder Cup Europe confirmed on 31 July 2026 that the Adare Manor ballot is settled and general admission is sold out, with winners emailed over the previous seven days. What a win costs, and what is still officially available.
FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 tickets: when they go on sale
Last verified 20 July 2026
No tickets are on sale for Brazil 2027 yet and no ballot has been announced. The only official step available is registering interest free at FIFA.com. When sales are likely, and what the 2026 cycle tells us.
World Cup 2030 tickets: when they go on sale
Last verified 20 July 2026
Nothing is on sale for the 2030 World Cup and there is no register-of-interest yet. Based on the 2026 cycle, the first public ticket draw is likely around September 2029. What is confirmed, and what is not.
How to Get NFL London Tickets 2026: No Ballot, Just the Queue
Last verified 25 August 2026
There is no NFL London ticket ballot. On-sale for all three 2026 games has been open since May (Wembley) and July (Tottenham), first come, first served. What you need to buy, and the one free step that still matters.
How to get Commonwealth Games 2026 tickets in Glasgow
Last verified 2 August 2026
There was no ballot for Glasgow 2026 sport sessions: tickets were first come, first served on the official portal, with a face-value resale platform for returns. The Games ran 23 July to 2 August 2026. What the official routes were, and what comes next.
How to get Grand Sumo tickets: the lottery ladder
Last verified 4 September 2026
Grand Sumo tickets sell through a ladder of lotteries before every tournament. For the November 2026 basho, the free Ticket Oosumo advance lottery closed 31 August 2026 and the free Ticket Pia pre-reserve lottery runs 4 to 7 September, open to anyone with a free account.
Ashes 2027 Tickets: The Ballot Opens 2 September 2026
Last verified 3 September 2026
The ECB ballot runs 2 to 29 September 2026; Lord's runs its own to 26 October and the Kia Oval to 15 November 2026. How to enter free, venue by venue, and the general sale dates.
How to increase your chances of winning a ticket ballot
Last verified 15 July 2026
You cannot change the odds of one ballot draw. What you can control: how many draws you enter, and never missing a deadline. The honest levers that actually work.
Missed or lost a ticket ballot? Here's what to do next
Last verified 15 July 2026
Missing or losing a ticket ballot is not the end. Official resale and returns, later first-come sales, member ballots and next year's draw are all still ahead.
World Cup 2026 tickets: what happened and what is next
Last verified 27 July 2026
Every official FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket route closed with the final on 19 July 2026. How the free draws and the last-minute sale actually worked, and how to be early for 2030 and Brazil 2027.
How does the Roland-Garros 2027 December ticket draw work?
Last verified 12 July 2026
Roland-Garros sells general-public tickets through a free December draw (tirage au sort), not a first-come sale. How to register, when it runs, and what winning actually gets you.
Which 2027 marathon major ballots are open, and how to enter
Last verified 1 September 2026
Six of the seven Abbott World Marathon Majors run a free-to-enter 2027 ballot. Boston is qualifying only, and its 2027 Registration Week is now confirmed for 14 to 18 September 2026. Dates, odds and links.
How do I get Masters 2027 tickets? Application and odds
Last verified 25 August 2026
The Masters 2027 ticket lottery results are out: selection complete, all tickets awarded, the payment window for winners closed 7 August 2026. Free to apply, prices and odds explained.
How do I get Rugby World Cup 2027 tickets? October sale guide
Last verified 9 July 2026
The RWC 2027 ballot is over. The next chance is the first-come-first-served sale on 1 October 2026 at tickets.rugbyworldcup.com. Prices, setup, what to expect.
Tokyo Marathon 2027 Ballot: Results Date, Payment, Odds
Last verified 31 August 2026
Tokyo Marathon 2027 general ballot results are announced on 18 September 2026, with payment due 18 to 30 September or the place is forfeited. Entry was free: only drawn runners pay JPY 19,800 or USD 230. Odds run at roughly 10 to 1.
Wimbledon 2027 Ballot Closes 14 September 2026: Enter Free
Last verified 2 September 2026
The Wimbledon 2027 public ballot closes at 23:59 BST on 14 September 2026. Entry is free through a myWimbledon account, one application per household, and applying early gains you nothing. Odds run at roughly 1 in 10, and The Queue needs no ballot at all.
How ticket ballots work: the honest guide
Last verified 8 July 2026
What a ticket ballot is, why Wimbledon, the Masters and the Olympics use them, what entering costs (usually nothing), your real odds, and how to avoid resale scams.
LA28 Olympic tickets: draw results and the next drops
Last verified 25 August 2026
LA28 Visa Presale slots were notified on 27 July and the presale runs 29 to 31 July 2026. No email is not a rejection: unsuccessful entrants went into Drop 2 automatically, notified 6 to 7 August, slots 10 to 20 August.
The Open 2027 ballot has closed: results dates and what is left
Last verified 17 August 2026
The 2027 Open ticket ballot at St Andrews closed on 24 July 2026. Results come in waves through August and September, everyone hears by end of September, and unsuccessful applications stay in for later waves.