The secret to getting concert tickets below face value

Getting your hands on coveted concert tickets can be frustrating and emotionally draining. Unless you’re among the first in line (virtually), you’ll have to scour the resale market to find good seats, often at inflated prices.

Unless you’re willing to be patient. Really patient.

That’s the advice of KTLA entertainment host Doug Kolk, who shares his tried-and-tested strategy for getting tickets below face value for virtually any concert.

“As someone who attends a lot of large events, I recommend waiting until the last minute to buy tickets,” suggests Doug. “In most cases, it will pay off.”

While online bootleggers (and diehard fans) often secure the best seats for a show right when sales begin, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll find paying customers for all of them in the months, weeks, and days leading up to the show.

Kolk says the law of supply and demand can work in your favor, as prices drop when there are an abundance of unsold tickets and the show time approaches.

“A quick tip: look at the primary market and see if tickets are available. And if there are tickets, the secondary market is bound to drop,” he notes.

In some cases, this means actually driving to the venue before the show starts, constantly checking resale apps, usually Vivid Seats and StubHub.

“I always say, ‘Go there mentally’ as if you already have tickets. Go out to eat, do what you plan to do, and then go to the event and see what’s available,” Doug recommends. “I know it’s nerve-wracking because people want the assurance of having the tickets in hand, but the longer you’re willing to wait, the better.”

Sometimes, Doug says, you have to wait until the show starts and the opening act – if there is one – takes the stage. At that point, anyone still selling tickets will be desperately looking for a buyer.

At huge venues like the Hollywood Bowl or SoFi Stadium, you might be surprised to find tickets in the single digits around showtimes — before junk fees kick in.

Both Vivid Seats and Stub Hub list the number of tickets available in real time, including the most recent sales and sale prices. Again, prices fluctuate based on supply and demand.

While Doug says his strategy usually works, it’s not a guarantee.

“If it’s Taylor Swift or another big event and the tickets are selling for thousands of dollars on the secondary market, there’s no way to get them cheaper. You’ll probably end up paying more by waiting,” warns Doug.