How are Wimbledon Tickets Allocated?
Wimbledon
October 1, 2019
Have you ever wondered how are Wimbledon tickets allocated?
Every June, the residential London neighbourhood of Wimbledon is transformed from a quiet, stylish town into the centre of the sporting world. Wimbledon is an iconic event unlike anything else – one that millions of people want to attend.
Despite the massive popularity of Wimbledon and the huge demand for tickets, it’s far from easy to attend The Championships. Tickets are allocated via a public ballot and an infamously long queue, as well as via online sales from debenture holders.
In this guide, we’ll look at how Wimbledon tickets are allocated and list your best options for buying tickets to The Championships. From long queues to lucky draws, there are several ways to secure your tickets to Wimbledon.
The Queue
Unlike most high-profile sporting events, which sell out months in advance and only offer tickets to advance buyers, Wimbledon is one of the few tennis events for which tickets can be bought on the day of the action.
Buying Wimbledon tickets on the day requires immense persistence. The iconic and famous Wimbledon Queue attracts tennis fans from the around the world hoping to secure their pass to the event for a day, even if it means camping overnight.
Every year, hundreds of people join the Queue in hopes of getting a ticket. Numbers are limited and people are issued a Queue Card upon arrival listing their position in the Queue to make sure they’re assigned tickets based on their time of arrival.
Ticket prices start from £39, which offers access to the No. 3 Court, and can cost up to £160 during the finals. Due to the immense size of the Queue, this option isn’t for the impatient – getting a ticket during peak periods often means camping overnight.
The Ballot
Every year, tennis fans can enter into the Wimbledon Public Ballot – a public draw for tickets that attracts thousands of households every year. The public ballot has been a part of Wimbledon since 1924 and tends to be very oversubscribed.
The ballot is open from the 1st of August onward for UK residents only. An overseas ballot is open from the 1st of November – unlike the UK ballot, this one is completely managed online.
If you’re interested in entering, you’ll need to apply online for a ballot application form
The tickets given out through the public ballot are randomised, making it impossible to request a specific date or match. Ballot tickets must be used by the people who’ve entered the ballot – they can’t be given as gifts to friends or relatives.
Just one entry is allowed per household, making it tough to secure tickets to a match you’re interested in watching. If you’re interested in attending Wimbledon for a look at the spirit of the event, however, it’s a great way to secure tickets.
Debenture Tickets
Wimbledon is financed by debentures – an investment by tennis fans interested in supporting the tournament. Every year, debenture tickets are issued to holders of Wimbledon debentures, guaranteeing them access to the tournament.
Debenture holders gain access to The Championships every day for a period of five years. Although debentures are very expensive – Centre Court debentures start at £50,000 on third-party markets – there’s no need to buy them to enjoy the tennis.
Debenture holders are free to sell their tickets to individual games, and many do. A wide range of debenture tickets are available online, from the early games right up to the men’s and women’s finals.
As well as letting you pick which match you attend, buying debenture tickets allows you to bypass the infamously long Wimbledon Queue. Debenture tickets also let you access exclusive restaurants, bag storage and other facilities for debenture holders.
From the ability to pick which matches you’ll attend to the convenience of having an exclusive lounge and bag storage, nothing quite matches the experience of attending Wimbledon with a debenture holder’s ticket.
How will you attend Wimbledon 2020?
From the famous Queue to the challenging public ballot, there are numerous ways to get tickets to Wimbledon 2020. Which method will you use to purchase your tickets to next year’s Championships?