How to win cheap Theatre Lottery Tickets
Understanding what Lottery tickets are, and the best strategies for securing them.
Contents
What are Lotteries?
Ticket Lotteries are weekly, fortnightly, or monthly draws, usually available via the TodayTix App but sometimes only available on the show's official website.
While Rush or Day tickets are a race to get tickets as quickly as possible, Lotteries are simply a case of completing a form during the week (or month) to enter.
If you manage to win a lottery, you will have the option to buy up to 2 discounted tickets for any of the following week's (or whatever timeframe) performances. Prices and seat locations will vary, but tickets only cost from £10 upwards, and seats will often be front row, but this depends on the show.
The main difference between lotteries found on the TodayTix app and those on official websites, is that TodayTix will ask you to choose the performances you are able to attend the following week BEFORE you enter the lottery, whereas official websites you enter first and if you are successful, you can then choose your performance date.
Important
Winning a lottery doesn't automatically grant you access to discounted tickets. These are available on a first-come-first-served basis, so you still need to be aware of exactly when these are drawn. From our experience, they will normally contact you soon after the draw date/time.
Strategy For Winning a lottery on TodayTix
You will first need to install the TodayTix app and register or sign in.
On the Home page, select the Lottery & Rush menu item at the top.
Tap on a show with the Lottery tag and locate the Lottery section.
Click Enter Now. You'll then be asked how many tickets you want (1 or 2). You will also need to de-select the performances you are unable to attend. The more flexible you are, the more chance you should have of winning.
Once you have entered your details, you can enter the draw.
You can increase you chances of winning by sharing on Facebook and Instagram. You will get one extra entry per share (maximum 2 extra).
Make a note of the draw date and time. TodayTix will contact you soon after this, so ensure you have set yourself a reminder
If you are successful, you will have 30 minutes to secure your tickets after they have contacted you.
Important
If someone else does not secure their lottery tickets during the 30 minutes, you could be contacted later in the day so it's worth keeping an eye out just in case.
Strategy For Winning a lottery on an Official Website
This varies depending on the show, but it's similar to the TodayTix. The only differences are that you usually do not need to select the performances you can attend. This is done after you do manage to win, but you need to be quick, as it's first-come-first-served. So ensure you have set yourself a reminder, as you will normally be contacted soon after the draw has taken place.
Note
Paddington is the only lottery that is currently monthly. The Operation Mincemeat lottery is fortnightly.
Pro Tip
Operation Mincemeat has a puzzle that if you solve, you can double your chances of winning.
Chances of Winning a Lottery
As with all theatre ticket competitions, it largely depends on the show and the date. Getting your hands on tickets during peak periods such as summer or Christmas will be less likely. Also, shows such as Paddington will be much more difficult to win.
From experience, you are much more likely to win lotteries that are only on the show's official website, as less people know about these. We have previously managed to get tickets for 2 popular shows in a single week!
Pro Tip:
“If you are flexible, there is nothing stopping you from entering as many lotteries as possible. Whether or not TodayTix have a limit of how many you can win, we don't know - there is no limit to how many you can enter however. You can also get your friends to enter too, although you should avoid using the same computer when entering the official lotteries, just in case.”
To find out when the long-running lotteries are available and drawn, visit our strategies guide
View Ultimate Strategy →
