Ticketmaster Presales Explained

The short answer

A presale is a sale window that opens before the general on-sale, usually for a specific group of buyers. The general on-sale is when tickets go on sale to everyone.

Not every event has a presale, and access, timing and ticket allocation vary by event. The rules for each event are shown on Ticketmaster.

Common types of presale

Presales are set up by the artist, team, venue or promoter, so the mix changes from event to event. In general terms, you may see:

• Artist or fan club presales, offered through the artist's or team's official channels.
• Verified Fan presales, where fans register in advance through Ticketmaster.
• Card-member presales, tied to a specific payment card or bank program.
• Venue or promoter presales, offered to people on the venue's or promoter's official lists.

How Verified Fan works

For events that use Verified Fan, you register through Ticketmaster before the registration deadline shown for that event. Registering late usually means you cannot take part.

If you are selected, an invite or access code may be sent to you, for example by text message. Registering does not guarantee an invite or tickets. The rules for each event are shown on Ticketmaster.

Presale codes and scams

Genuine presale codes come only from official channels: the artist or team, the venue or promoter, the card program running the presale, or Ticketmaster itself. The rules for each event are shown on Ticketmaster.

Never pay for a 'presale code'. People selling codes on social media, forums or messaging apps are a common scam, and a code bought that way may not work or may not be real. Never share your Ticketmaster password or a code sent to your phone with anyone.

On-sale day checklist

A little preparation helps on the day, whether you are buying in a presale or the general on-sale:

• Sign in to your Ticketmaster account early, before the sale starts.
• Check that your payment details are saved and up to date in your account.
• Use one device and one browser tab, in line with Ticketmaster's rules for that event.
• Know your all-in budget, including fees, before you start choosing seats.
• Check the ticket limit per buyer for the event before you add tickets.

If you missed the presale

Missing a presale does not always mean missing the event. Tickets may still be offered in the general on-sale, and Ticketmaster may list tickets from other fans through its official resale. The rules for each event are shown on Ticketmaster.

You can also check the event page on TicketsGarage to see the current ticket options before you decide.

Where TicketsGarage fits in

TicketsGarage is not the seller and cannot give out presale codes or presale access. We help you discover events and link to partner checkout pages, where the purchase happens. For presale questions, use Ticketmaster or the artist's, team's or venue's official channels.

Frequently asked questions