# Ticket scalping **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 6, 2016, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ticket-scalping/761907 "2016-08-06T03:22:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vicsage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e68b1a/32.png) [@Vicsage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vicsage)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ticket-scalping/761907/1 "2016-08-06T03:22:06Z")
How come ticket brokers can buy thousands of of tickets for concerts before the public even has a chance, then sell them at inflated prices, but I can’t buy 20 tickets ahead of time for some movie and then sell them at an inflated price outside the theater? I personally think both are wrong but it is hypocritical. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ticket-scalping/761907/2 "2016-08-06T03:27:56Z")
Because they’re better crooks than you? ---
**Author:** ![Vicsage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e68b1a/32.png) [@Vicsage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vicsage)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ticket-scalping/761907/3 "2016-08-06T03:40:50Z")
If by better you mean richer and more connected, you’re probably right. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ticket-scalping/761907/4 "2016-08-06T03:59:58Z")
Uh, I guess there might be rules against movie ticket scalping, but I think the most prominent reason is going to be the law of supply and demand. In almost all cases, you’re going to be a dodgy looking guy selling inflated price tickets right next to the official box office, selling them for cheaper. Most of the time, a movie isn’t sold out, or people are flexible about what they see. I guess you could do this for the midnight showing of the next Harry Potter movie but I doubt you’re going to be able to get too expensive. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ticket-scalping/761907/5 "2016-08-06T04:09:36Z")
A WAG but I speculate there is collusion involved. Venues could raise official ticket prices higher. But there are various people who have to be paid a percentage of the official ticket price. Let’s say that a venue knows it could sell all its tickets for $300 apiece. But it’s obligated to pay 50% of what it sells its tickets for to other people. If the venue sells tickets for $300, it has to pay out $150. Now let’s say the venue makes a deal with a scalper (or let’s say the scalper works for the venue). The venue sells a block of tickets to the scalper for $50 apiece and pays $25 to the people it owes a share to. The scalper then turns around and resells the tickets for $300 apiece, making a $250 profit on each ticket. The scalper then turns around and kicks back $200 of that to the venue. The venue doesn’t have to pay any of this money out (they’re only obligated to pay out a percentage of the original sale) so they keep the $200 plus the $25 they made from the original sale.