Sky Sports takes you through the ins and outs of the resale phase of Olympic ticket sales.
We take you through the ins and outs of the resale phase of Olympic ticket sales
Q. What is the Olympic ticket resale?
A. From 0900 this morning anyone who has bought tickets for the Olympic Games directly from LOCOG and no longer wants them, or can no longer use them, can sell them through the official website www.tickets.london2012.com. The process remains open until 3 February and is designed to ensure that tickets go to those who want to, and can use them, helping to ensure that venues are full at Games time.
Q. How can I buy tickets?
A. By logging on to www.tickets.london2012.com to see what tickets become available. However, the tickets put up for sale are not published on the website immediately. Instead they will appear on an 'ongoing' basis, with LOCOG predicting a turnaround time of approximately 24 hours.
Q. Why the delay?
A. LOCOG did not offer a definitive explanation, but it is thought the turnaround time will simply last for as long as it takes for the tickets to be published on the website. After previous ticketing trouble, LOCOG may be reluctant to offer cast-iron guarantees it cannot keep.
Q. Who can buy tickets?
A. Anyone who is registered with the official website www.tickets.london2012.com. Even those who have not applied for tickets in the previous rounds can buy tickets by signing up to the site.
Q. If I have previously applied for tickets but been unsuccessful, will I be given preferential treatment?
A. No. The process is freely open to all those who register.
Q. How many tickets will be up for grabs?
A. It's difficult to say since it will be up to individuals to decide how many, and exactly which tickets they would like to resell. However, according to the ticket exchange website viagogo.co.uk, typically 10%-15% of tickets for sporting events are ultimately sold on, meaning almost 1 million Olympic tickets could eventually be resold.
Q. Is there a limit to the number of tickets I can buy?
A. Yes, you can only buy tickets for a maximum of four sessions per transaction. The maximum number of tickets you can buy per session will vary depending on how popular it is.
Q. How will tickets be sold, will it be on a first-come, first served basis, or will I have to apply for tickets as before?
A. Tickets will be served on a first-come, first served basis.
Q. How do I pay for the tickets?
A. As per the previous rounds of sales, tickets can only be bought using Visa debit, credit and prepaid cards.
Q. What if I want to sell my tickets, but no-one buys them? Will I be reimbursed by LOCOG?
A. No, any tickets which are not sold are returned to the original buyer. There will be a second opportunity to resell your tickets in the Spring, but the date has not yet been confirmed. If again, your tickets are not sold, they will be returned to you, with further opportunities for resell right up until the Games.
Q. At what price can I sell my tickets?
A. You must sell them at the original price, and will receive the full face-value in return.
Q. Is there any other way for me to sell my tickets?
A. No. Trying to sell tickets through any means other than the official website will be treated as ticket touting, for which the government has increased the maximum penalty from £5,000 to £20,000.
Q. What if I've bought my tickets from an international retailer (ATR)? Will I be able to resell my tickets through LOCOG?
A. No, you must go through the individual ATR to resell your tickets, with dates varying according to the individual country.
