When trying to purchase tickets for a popular event on Ticketmaster, many people find themselves stuck in the virtual waiting room or queue before tickets go on sale. During this waiting period, which can sometimes last hours, customers are often tempted to refresh the page to see if they can bypass the queue and access tickets more quickly. However, constantly refreshing the page is not recommended and, in most cases, will not get you tickets faster.
How the Ticketmaster queue works
Ticketmaster uses a virtual queue system to handle the high demand when tickets for in-demand events go on sale. Without a queue, their website would likely crash from too many people trying to access it at the same time.
Here’s how it works:
- Customers join the waiting room before tickets go on sale.
- Tickets are slowly released for sale, and customers are moved out of the queue in the order they joined it.
- Each customer is assigned a place in line. Constantly refreshing will not change your place in line.
- Your place in line is identified by a unique URL that acts as your ticket into the sale.
- Once it’s your turn, you’ll be automatically forwarded to the ticket-buying screen.
So refreshing or manually navigating away from your queue’s URL page will very likely reset your place in line and move you further back.
Reasons not to refresh
There are a few key reasons you should avoid refreshing while stuck in the Ticketmaster queue:
- You’ll lose your place in line – Your spot is tied to your unique queue URL. Refreshing will send you to the back of the line.
- It won’t speed up the process – The queue speed is set automatically. Refreshing won’t make it go any faster.
- You could get banned – Excessively refreshing may get your IP address temporarily blocked.
- It overloads the servers – Too many refreshes from customers overall can crash Ticketmaster’s servers and delay sales.
So excessive refreshing accomplishes nothing except risking losing your place in line completely. The queue system is specifically designed to prevent people from circumventing the line, so you’ll have to be patient.
Other tips for getting through the queue
Here are some other tips to improve your chances of getting tickets once you’re placed in the Ticketmaster queue:
- Join the queue early – As soon as queues open, join and get in line. Don’t wait until the last minute.
- Use multiple devices – Have friends or family join the queue too to increase your chances.
- Check for queue updates – Ticketmaster will post queue progress updates. Read them to get an idea of wait times.
- Stay on the queue page – Don’t click away or refresh or else you’ll lose your spot.
- Enter your info quickly – When it’s your turn, enter payment details rapidly so tickets don’t sell out.
Following these tips, along with avoiding constant refreshing, will give you your best shot at beating the waiting room queues on Ticketmaster.
What happens if you do refresh?
If you do accidentally refresh or navigate away from your Ticketmaster queue page, here is what will happen:
- You’ll be sent to the generic Ticketmaster homepage, or back to the queue entrance.
- Your specific place in line will be lost since you are no longer on your unique URL.
- You’ll have to reenter the queue, and will be assigned a new place in line.
- Depending on when you refresh, you may end up towards the very back of the line again.
So a single refresh could unfortunately send you right back to the end of the queue if it happens near the beginning. The later in the process you refresh, the less likely you are to lose significant ground since fewer people will be waiting at that point.
Is there ever a reason to refresh?
The only instance where refreshing the Ticketmaster queue might help you is if:
- You have been waiting in the queue for an extremely long time, beyond what was initially estimated.
- Ticketmaster is having technical issues and the queue seems to be stalled.
- You start getting error messages on the queue page.
In cases like this where there are obvious technical problems or the queue is moving way slower than it should be, refreshing might reset things and allow you to get a better place in line faster.
However, this is still a risky gamble that could easily backfire. Before refreshing due to an issue, check Ticketmaster’s social media accounts for updates on any known problems.
Other last-minute ticket options
If you don’t end up getting tickets directly through the initial Ticketmaster sale, don’t panic! There are still options for getting legit tickets later:
- Official ticket resale – Venues and Ticketmaster will often release more tickets leading up to shows at higher prices.
- Third-party resellers – Sites like StubHub let users resell tickets. Verify legitimacy before purchasing.
- Fan ticket exchanges – Check fan forums and Facebook groups to find people reselling extra tickets.
- At the venue – Sometimes extra tickets are sold at box offices on the day of the event.
While often more expensive, these official resale sources can provide last-minute options for tickets even after queues sell out. Be flexible on dates and seat locations, and you may just score a great deal.
Key Takeaways
- Refreshing the Ticketmaster page will reset your place in line and likely send you to the back of the queue again.
- Stay patient and do not refresh, as it won’t expedite the queue or ticket sales.
- If you lose your place, rejoin the queue immediately for a chance at leftover tickets.
- Have multiple people join the queue on different devices to increase your odds.
- Check for technical issues before refreshing to avoid losing your spot unnecessarily.
Conclusion
While waiting in a Virtual queue can be a tedious process, constantly refreshing the Ticketmaster page will only make things worse in most cases. Stay patient, stick with your assigned place in line, and don’t refresh unless absolutely necessary due to technical issues on Ticketmaster’s end. With smart preparation and an understanding of how the queues operate, you can maximize your chances of securing those coveted tickets once sales open without resorting to excessive refreshing.