# Question about reselling concert tickets **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 19, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-reselling-concert-tickets/295256 "2005-03-19T02:39:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-reselling-concert-tickets/295256/1 "2005-03-19T02:39:25Z")
I’m going to be on the phone tomorrow trying to buy concert tickets. Two of my friends, who will be going to the show with me, will be on their phones as well, trying to get through the busy signal. In the off chance that two of us manage to get through and purchase tickets, we will be left with an extra set of tickets. Is it legal to sell those extra tickets? Is it only “scalping” if I stand outside the venue an hour before showtime and try to sell them at 6 times the price? I’ve seen ads in the newspaper adversiting concert tickets, so I think it’s _probably_ legal to resell them… but can I try to get a profit off it? I’m in Montreal, if that makes any difference. ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-reselling-concert-tickets/295256/2 "2005-03-19T07:42:53Z")
I think it varies quite a bit from place to place. In California, it’s not legal to do within a certain range of the venue, the limit being something on the magnitude of a few hundred yards if I remember correctly. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-reselling-concert-tickets/295256/3 "2005-03-19T08:46:13Z")
From [here:](http://www.cbc.ca/cgi-bin/newsworld/viewer.cgi?FILE=NL20030604.html&TEMPLATE=newsreal_archive.ssi&SC=NL) > [@](#): > > **Scapling in illegal everywhere in Canada, except in BC.** But that doesn’t cut down on the number of people who stand outside of concerts and sporting events trying to sell tickets. **The police usually turn a blind eye** to the activity, because it’s a minor offence that’s hard for them to prove in court. The organizations that are most upset by scalping are companies like Ticketmaster, that sell tickets, or the actual venue. (bloding mine) ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-reselling-concert-tickets/295256/4 "2005-03-19T08:47:46Z")
Oh, and I have no idea what _scapling_ is. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-reselling-concert-tickets/295256/5 "2005-03-19T13:35:11Z")
Well, **TheLoadedDog** , I’m not planning on standing outside of the venue and asking people if they need tickets. It’s just in case I end up with an extra set that I can’t use - I don’t want to lose all that money. It’s all a hypothetical issue, anyway, really, because the chances of me getting through on the phone even once are pretty slim, let alone having _two_ of us get tickets. I was just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-reselling-concert-tickets/295256/6 "2005-03-19T14:31:17Z")
> [@](#): > > The organizations that are most upset by scalping are companies like Ticketmaster, that sell tickets, or the actual venue. These are also the organizations most responsible for the existence of anti-scalping laws - they like the idea of an exclusive market. Laws will certainly vary a lot from one area to another. But it’s safe to say that if you re-sell tickets away from the venue and for much the same price you paid, your chance of getting in trouble for this are near zero. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-reselling-concert-tickets/295256/7 "2005-03-19T14:42:23Z")
> [@TheLoadedDog](#): > > Oh, and I have no idea what _scapling_ is. 😃 Or **bloding**.