We’ll Show You How to Become a Ticket Reseller Step-by-step
To become a successful ticket broker, you are going to want to understand how buying and reselling tickets works, and which tools, marketplaces, and platforms to use.
You can start by researching popular events and venues in your area. Look for events that are likely to sell out quickly, such as concerts featuring popular artists, major sporting events, and theater productions. Check the seating capacity of the venue and consider the demand for tickets in different sections.
In this article we will dive into how you can become a ticket reseller yourself from scratch.
Here’s a Member That hit $10k in profit within his first couple months, by following the Ticket Flipping Training
We’ve created a free introductory training guide to teach you the basics of becoming a ticket broker
How To Become a Ticket Broker: Step by Step
1. Buy Tickets for Popular Upcoming Events
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- Start with events you are familiar with and think will be popular
- There are several niches you can start with – Concerts, Sports, Large Arena Presales, Small General Admission Venues
- The Ticket Flipping Event Dashboard (Flare) helps you find hot presales and find events that are likely to sell out
- We explain which seats to target when you are purchasing tickets
2. List Your Tickets for Sale
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- We reveal the best way to sell your tickets
- This platform lists your tickets across all major resale sites, so your tickets have the most exposure possible and a greater chance of selling
3. Price Your Tickets
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- Look for tickets in similar sections & rows to your tickets, and set your price accordingly
- We explain how to efectively price your tickets for the most profit
4. Transfer Your Tickets to the Buyer and Get Paid!
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- Once your ticket sells, you can transfer the ticket to the customer, and then you’ll get paid shortly after
It’s really as simple as that. The Ticket Flipping Training & Tools help you find hot events and pick tickets to buy that you can sell for profit.
How do I become a ticket reseller? FAQ
1. Do I need a lot of money to start reselling tickets?
No. Many new brokers start with just a few hundred dollars and slowly scale up as they learn what works. The key is to start with smaller, well-researched buys (popular shows in smaller venues, strong demand) so you can recycle your profits into the next round of tickets instead of overextending on your first attempt.
2. Do I need a business license or LLC to be a ticket broker?
When you’re just getting started and selling a small number of tickets, most places do not require a special license or LLC. As you grow into a consistent side income or a full-time business, it’s smart to talk with a local professional about forming an LLC and understanding any state-level “ticket broker” requirements. In our separate resources on ticket resale laws by U.S. state and by country, we highlight where licensing rules come into play so you know what to check before scaling up.
3. Is reselling tickets legal where I live?
In most U.S. states and many countries, reselling tickets for profit is legal as long as you follow local laws and platform rules. A few places restrict markups or certain types of events, and some countries have tighter rules on for-profit resale. The safest move is to verify the rules for your situation using our guides to ticket resale laws by U.S. state and by country, and then make sure you comply with any limits on price, location, and use of bots. Is Reselling Tickets Legal where I live?
4. How long does it take to start making a profit?
That depends on how quickly you learn and how carefully you pick events. Some members make their first profits within a few weeks of focused buying and selling; others take a few months to really find their rhythm. If you stick to data-driven decisions, avoid overbuying a single risky event, and learn from each flip, your results usually improve with every release cycle.
5. How many hours per week does a ticket reseller work?
You can treat this as a part-time side hustle or a full-time business. Many beginners spend a few hours per week watching presales, placing buys, and managing listings. Full-time brokers often build routines around major onsale days, daily price checks, and inventory management—but even then, most of the work is done from a laptop or phone on a flexible schedule.
6. Do I need special software, or can I start manually?
You can absolutely start manually using just the major marketplaces (Ticketmaster, SeatGeek, StubHub, Vivid Seats, TickPick, etc.). As you grow, tools like the Ticket Flipping Tools dashboard and POS systems such as Lysted make a huge difference by helping you find stronger events, list across multiple marketplaces at once, and track your profit more accurately. Many brokers begin with manual listing and then graduate into software as their volume increases.
7. What are the main risks, and how do I avoid big losses?
The biggest risks are unsold inventory, event cancellations, and overpaying for tickets that never catch demand. You can reduce those risks by diversifying across multiple events and artists, focusing on shows with clear demand signals, and avoiding speculative buys you don’t fully understand. Using data tools, keeping an eye on local laws, and following proven buying criteria (like we teach in the Ticket Flipping training) helps you make more consistent, lower-risk decisions as you grow.
Tips For Getting Started with Reselling Tickets
Acquire tickets from presales and upcoming popular events. There are several ways to get tickets to resell, including purchasing them directly from the venue, purchasing them from third-party ticket sellers, or using online ticket marketplaces like StubHub or SeatGeek. Be sure to compare prices and fees from different sources to ensure you are getting the best deal.
Determine the price you will sell the tickets for. To determine the price you will sell the tickets for, consider the face value of the ticket, the demand for the event, and any fees you may incur when reselling the ticket. You should aim to sell the tickets for a higher price than what you paid for them, but be sure to remain competitive with other sellers.
There are several options for selling tickets online, including ticket marketplaces like StubHub, SeatGeek, Vividseats, & TickPick. We break down the best place to sell your tickets and show you how to list your tickets across all these sites simultaneously.
The best was to sell your tickets is by using a POS or Point of Sale Platform. A POS platform like Lysted can help you sell your ticket faster by:
- Distributing your tickets to ALL ticket resale marketplaces at once.
- Quickly remove a sold listing from other marketplaces to avoid double sales.
- Getting paid in 1-2 weeks as opposed to after the event. (This is very important component to reselling profitably and avoiding having your cash flow locked into one event for too long.
- Track your profits, sale, and other important information to help you make better buying and selling decisions in the future.
Most of the marketing will be DONE-FOR-YOU by the resale marketplace and the artist promoting their own event. All you really need to do is buy highly demanded tickets and list them for sale.
Consider partnering with other ticket resellers. Partnering with other ticket resellers can help you acquire a larger inventory of tickets to sell. You can also team up with other resellers to share ideas and insights, and to help eachother research events and purchase tickets. Finding other resellers in the Ticket Flipping Slack group is a great way to get started.
Be prepared for ticket fraud. Unfortunately, ticket fraud is a common occurrence in the live event ticket industry. To protect yourself and your customers, only by tickets on a verified marketplace such as Ticketmaster, Stubhub, Seatgeek, etc. Purchasing tickets from unverified sources such as Facebook Marketplace could expose yourself to scammers or fake tickets.
By following these tips, you can successfully resell live event tickets for profit. Good luck!
