It’s natural to assume that tickets to sports events are easily available as many prefer watching them from the comfort of home. But in reality, the opposite is true. Sports tickets are in high demand because TV or mobile viewership can never match the thrill, excitement, and adrenaline rush of being in a stadium. There’s always  haste  to buy tickets online, as people want to get a glimpse of their favorite sports stars.

Benefits of buying sports tickets online
The most important and obvious benefit of buying sports tickets online is convenience.  One  doesn’t need to visit  the stadium early or camp overnight outside to find a place in the line.   This  is helpful for seniors and people with mobility constraints who cannot be on their feet for long. One can also pre-book tickets online to be assured of a seat much ahead of the game. Another benefit is that many online sites allow ticket holders to resell or exchange tickets, which is useful if one cannot attend the game due to a last-minute emergency.

Buying sports tickets online has risks, too. One can lose confidential data and obtain duplicate tickets from fraudulent websites.

How to stay safe while buying sports tickets online?
Unless someone has a tradition of buying tickets at the arena, buying tickets online is better for convenience and ease.  But   one  should be cautious during the process.  Many scams and fake resellers may be present online, and identifying them may be difficult. In the bargain, individuals could buy expensive tickets that may be fake, invalid, or just a scam. Luckily, there are ways to protect oneself while buying sports tickets online.

Confirm the schedule of the  game
Before paying for a ticket online, one should check if the game’s schedule has changed.  If a schedule change  isn’t  reflected in the drop-down list on the ticket booking website, it’s better to choose another seller.

Buy from the team’s official  website
Visiting the team’s official website is always advisable when booking sports tickets online. One can buy directly from there or from the list of authorized sellers on the page. Clicking links on such websites will carry no risk. Individuals may also get a refund automatically if the game is canceled due to bad weather or an emergency.

Subscribe to the team’s email notifications
Individuals should subscribe to email notifications while on the official website of their favorite teams. Email notifications contain useful information about upcoming games and provide fans with a list of authorized ticket sellers and their websites. Buying tickets by clicking on these links is one of the safest ways to stay protected from scams.

Check the authenticity of ticketing  websites
During high-profile games,  some scammers may create bogus ticketing sites that look original.  That’s why checking their official address and contact details is important.  One should doubt any website  without  a complete address or landline number.  Websites that don’t have a phone number could be a scam.

Use secure payment  platforms
When it’s time to pay, individuals should use legally recognized and popular websites they have used before. The payment platform should have adequate provisions for the privacy and safety of one’s financial transactions. If someone receives a scam alert from the computer’s anti-virus or inbuilt defender software, they should check twice before paying.

Look for security features on the  ticket
Besides an e-ticket, companies sometimes mail a hard copy to be scanned at the arena or a printable ticket one can print at home. One should inspect these carefully and look for security features like watermarks, barcodes, holograms, or unique identification numbers like serial numbers that cannot be replicated or duplicated. Once a person receives their ticket, they can also call customer service and share the ticket number to confirm if it’s genuine. The team will check their database and confirm the purchase.

Report any dubious  transaction
After the transaction, one may receive an email or a receipt as proof of payment. If someone hasn’t received confirmation and cannot contact the website over the phone,  they  should report the transaction immediately to  their  payment service provider.

Read the terms and conditions  carefully
One should read the terms and conditions before paying for a sports ticket online. An authentic website will have instructions on what to do if customers have problems with the ticket on the day of the game.  This helps individuals get refunds if they cannot watch a game  for no fault of theirs .  If the terms and conditions don’t have a refund clause, it’s better to avoid the website.

Different ways to buy sports tickets
Sports fans can buy season tickets or tickets for specific games through multiple sources other than websites.

Ticket booths
One can buy tickets at the arena on match day by reaching the venue early and joining the line.

Authorized ticket offices
Some sports arenas or stadiums may be away from the main cities or suburbs. In such cases, teams and agencies may sell tickets through authorized ticket offices in more accessible areas.

Third-party resellers
Third-party resellers buy tickets from sports teams, agencies, organizers, and sponsors and sell them online or offline. The cost of tickets is likely to be higher than their sources.