Going to a gig or festival should be fun, not a battle with bots, silly prices or scammers waiting to take advantage. Tickets sell out fast, resale prices jump like crazy, and a lot of people get caught out.
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The good news is that there are safe, easy ways to get cheaper tickets without risking your money. This guide keeps things clear, friendly and practical, so you know what actually works.
Start with the main ticket sellers
The safest place to buy is always the main ticket seller named by the venue or artist. These sellers give you proper consumer protection and will refund you if a show is cancelled.
Here are the most common official ticket sellers in the UK:
Set up your account early and save your card details. When thousands of people are trying to buy at once, being ready makes things much easier.
It is also worth joining artist and festival mailing lists. Presales often go out to fans before general sales, and these are usually your best chance at getting tickets at face value.
Try again closer to the date
Lots of fans give up once a show sells out, but venues often release more tickets later.
Some seats are held back for production, some are returned by partners, and others simply become free once plans change. These late-release tickets are normally sold at face value.
Quietly checking the official seller during the week of the gig, or even on the morning of the event, can genuinely pay off.
Use official resale instead of strangers online
Missing the first sale does not mean you have to risk buying from random accounts on Facebook or Instagram.
Most big ticket sellers now offer official resale sections where fans can safely list tickets they cannot use.
This gives you real buyer protection and usually keeps prices close to the original cost.
The government is also bringing in new rules that will make it illegal to resell tickets above the original price plus unavoidable fees, with huge penalties for platforms that break the rules.
These changes are expected to save fans around £112 million a year and help more people buy at face value in the first place.
This should make official resale even safer and cheaper.
Be aware of dynamic pricing
Some tours use dynamic pricing, which means prices rise when demand is high. It feels frustrating, but you can avoid the worst of it by joining presales and being flexible with dates.
A show on a Tuesday is often far cheaper than one on a Saturday. Cities with larger venues also tend to have lower prices.
Avoid risky sellers on social media
Most scams happen in Facebook groups, on Instagram and on X. Scammers use friendly messages to build trust, then push you to pay quickly.
Be cautious if someone:
- Wants you to pay by bank transfer
- Sends a screenshot instead of a real ticket
- Has a new or empty profile
- Refuses to show the ticket in the official app
- Offers a price that seems suspicious
If you are not comfortable, it is better to walk away.
Fake screenshots are a huge problem
Tickets shown as screenshots are very easy to fake. Scammers regularly copy barcodes or grab images from Google and claim they are real.
The safest option is a ticket delivered directly through the official app or email. If a seller cannot show this, be careful.
Choose cheaper sections if money is tight
Venues often have huge price gaps between different seating areas.
Upper tiers, side-view seats or slightly restricted views can be much cheaper while still giving you the atmosphere and sound you are paying for.
If your priority is hearing the music rather than sitting close to the stage, this can save a lot.
Think twice about VIP packages
Many VIP packages cost a lot more but only offer early entry or a small merch item. Unless you really want the extras, stick to standard tickets and save the cash.
Protect your money when paying
Use payment methods that give you support if something goes wrong.
Credit cards offer the strongest protection, followed by PayPal’s “goods and services” option. Debit cards offer some help through chargeback.
Try to avoid bank transfers to people you do not know. This is how most scam victims lose money.
What will change once the touting ban becomes law?
The government plans to make it illegal for anyone to resell tickets above the original cost plus unavoidable fees.
Resale platforms will have to monitor listings, limit extra charges and prevent people reselling more tickets than they were allowed to buy.
This should reduce inflated prices, limit the worst profiteering, and make the ticket market fairer for ordinary fans.
Skint Dad says:
When tickets can only be resold for what they originally cost, fans stop getting priced out and the whole system becomes fairer.
A quick plan to stay safe
Before paying for any ticket, ask yourself:
- Is it from an official seller or official resale?
- Does the ticket come through a proper app or email?
- Am I using a protected payment method?
- Does anything feel rushed or too good to be true?
If something seems strange, trust your gut.
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