You missed the on-sale. The event is sold out. But then you notice a "Join Waiting List" button. Is it worth clicking? How does it work? And what are your actual chances of getting tickets? Waiting lists have become a standard feature of modern ticketing, and understanding how they operate can make the difference between attending an event and missing out entirely.
How waiting lists work
The basic concept is straightforward: you register your interest in tickets for a sold-out event, and if tickets become available (through returns, cancellations, or additional releases), you are offered the chance to buy them. But the mechanics vary significantly between platforms.
Queue-based waiting lists
The simplest model is first-come, first-served. You join the list, and your position is determined by when you signed up. When tickets become available, they are offered to people in order of their position on the list. If the person at the top does not respond within a set timeframe, the offer moves to the next person.
Automated resale waiting lists
Some platforms, most notably DICE, operate an automated system. When a ticket holder can no longer attend, they return their ticket through the app. The platform then automatically sells it to the next person on the waiting list at face value. The process is seamless: the person on the waiting list receives a notification, their payment method is charged, and the ticket appears in their app. There is no need to watch for listings or act quickly -- the system handles everything.
Notification-based systems
Other platforms use the waiting list more as an alert system. Rather than automatically allocating tickets, they notify everyone on the list when new tickets become available. This means you receive an email or push notification and then need to go to the platform and purchase quickly before the released tickets sell out again. In this model, speed matters more than position on the list.
Where tickets come from
Waiting list tickets do not appear from nowhere. They come from several sources:
- Fan returns -- people who bought tickets but can no longer attend return them to the platform. This is the most common source of waiting list tickets
- Cancelled orders -- payment failures, suspected fraud, or duplicate orders can result in tickets being released back into the pool
- Production releases -- seats held for production use, accessibility, press, or sponsors are released when they are no longer needed, often in the days before the event
- Additional capacity -- for some events, the promoter or venue may release additional tickets if demand justifies it (for example, opening up restricted-view sections or adjusting the stage layout)
What are your chances?
This depends on several factors:
- The size of the event -- a large arena show will have more returns than a 200-capacity club night, simply because more people bought tickets in the first place
- How far in advance you join -- for queue-based systems, joining early improves your position. For notification-based systems, it gives you more time to receive alerts
- The time gap between sale and event -- if tickets sold out six months before the event, there is more time for circumstances to change and returns to come in. If the event is next week, fewer returns are likely
- The popularity of the event -- ironically, the events you most want to see are the ones with the longest waiting lists, which reduces your individual chances
There is no way to guarantee success on a waiting list. But joining costs nothing (or at most a small refundable deposit), so there is no downside to signing up.
How to maximise your chances
While you cannot control how many tickets become available, you can improve your odds:
- Join immediately -- as soon as you see the event is sold out, join the waiting list. Every minute you delay, more people are joining ahead of you
- Enable notifications -- make sure push notifications are enabled for the ticketing app, and check that emails from the platform are not going to your spam folder
- Keep your payment details up to date -- for automated systems, your payment will be taken when a ticket is allocated to you. If your card has expired or been replaced, you will lose your spot. Check your saved payment details regularly
- Be ready to act -- for notification-based systems, you need to move fast when the alert comes. Have the app installed and logged in, with your payment details saved, so you can complete the purchase in seconds
- Join on multiple platforms -- if the event is sold through more than one platform, join the waiting list on each one. Different platforms may receive returns at different times
Deposits and charges
Some waiting lists require a small deposit or a hold on your payment card when you join. This deposit is typically applied to the ticket price if you are successful, or refunded if tickets do not become available. The purpose is to deter people from joining waiting lists they are not genuinely interested in, which helps ensure that released tickets go to people who actually want them.
Check the terms before joining to understand any financial commitment.
Waiting lists vs. resale
Waiting lists and resale platforms serve similar purposes but work differently. Waiting lists are typically operated by the primary ticketing platform and offer tickets at face value. Resale platforms (both official and secondary) allow fans to sell to other fans, sometimes at a premium.
If you are on a waiting list but want to explore other options simultaneously, check official resale platforms like Twickets or the platform's own fan-to-fan resale feature. There is no conflict between being on a waiting list and also looking at resale -- just be careful not to end up with more tickets than you need.
For more on resale options, see our guide to buying from official resale platforms. If you want to be better prepared for the next on-sale, read our piece on using pre-sale codes to get tickets early. And for a complete picture of your options when events sell out, see our guide to buying tickets for sold-out events.
Curious how tickts compares? See our side-by-side comparison of tickts vs DICE: fees, payouts, and features for UK organisers.
