How to buy tickets for the 2012 London Olympics

The world's biggest sporting event is coming to London in 2012. Millions of spectators from all over the globe will descend on the capital to watch the best athletes compete across 20 Olympic venues. Several other venues outside London, as far afield as Cardiff, Glasgow, Weymouth and Manchester, will host events like football and sailing.

Before you buy your tickets, you need to fill in an application form. Ticket applications for the London Olympics will be accepted until 26 April 2011. At first, the whole procedure may seem a little complex -- and daunting - but with the number of expected spectators, the organisers had to put certain procedures in place to ensure a fair allocation of tickets. Here is how you can get yours.

Things You'll Need

  • Internet connection
  • Application form
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Instructions

    • 1

      Decide what you want to see. There are 26 Olympic sports. Some of them, like cycling and athletics, are further subdivided into disciplines. On top of that, there are the Opening and Closing Ceremonies to watch. Therefore it's crucial to determine which sport or event you are interested in and make a shortlist to help you decide which tickets to apply for.

    • 2

      Specify your dates and venues. The London Olympics will last 19 days, and will be held between 25 July and 12 August 2012. The Opening Ceremony will take place on Friday 27 July 2012, but some football matches will be played in advance of that. Before applying for tickets check where the event you want to see is taking place. Travelling between venues, even within London, may take a while. Also, remember that most events will be divided into smaller sessions. Some of them start in the evening and finish at midnight, so factor that in when applying for tickets.

    • 3

      Work out your budget. Use the Olympic brochure or the official website to work out how much your chosen tickets will cost you -- and whether you can afford them -- before submitting your application. Prices start at £20, and you can apply for tickets in a specific price category. Prices, even within one category, vary, depending on the sport, venue and session. There are six different price categories and most sessions will have tickets available in at least two different price categories. Some sessions, like shooting, have only one price category. Young people aged 16 or under at 27 July 2012 will pay their age. So, if you are 14 years old on 27 July 2012, your ticket will cost you £14. All people aged 60 or over at 27 July 2012 pay only £16 per ticket. There are over 200 sessions with discounted tickets for young persons and seniors.

    • 4

      Apply. It doesn't matter when you apply for your tickets as long as your application is in by midnight on 26 April 2011. You can submit a paper application form by post or fill one in online. However, your tickets are not guaranteed as some events or sessions are bound to be oversubscribed. A ballot will determine who gets tickets for such sessions. You can pay using postal orders, cheques or Visa cards (credit, debit or prepaid), but no other cards (for example, American Express or MasterCard) will be accepted.

    • 5

      Increase your chances. Some price categories come with their benefits. As a rule of thumb, assume that Category A is better in terms of visibility than a lower category, like B or C. Also assume that most people may prefer slightly more expensive tickets, but with better visibility. Therefore, if you are determined to see an event regardless of how close you are to the action, make sure you indicate on your application form that you are prepared to accept lower priced tickets if your original choice is not available.