Jackson Ticket Odds Are Bad -- Very Bad

Michael JacksonDon't book your plane tickets yet -- you're probably going to be watching the Michael Jackson memorial from home.

A spokesman for the Jackson family revealed that after only seven hours, over 500,000 people had entered the lottery for memorial tickets. Okay, time for some quick math: that means that roughly 71,500 people per hour have signed up. And if you extend that rate for the remaining 25 hours (especially since the lottery has been opened up to the entire world), you get a total number of around 2.3 million.

Only 8,750 of those people will get tickets to the memorial (two tickets per person), and some of those people will get only get passes to the "satellite event" in the Nokia Theatre across the street-- like watching it on TV but in a pressure cooker with thousands of other people.

The bottom line: a 0.4% chance of getting a ticket. The good news? You're still more likely to get a ticket than get struck by lightning.

Tags: lottery, memorial, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, staples center, StaplesCenter

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31. This message is for David L you are right you should wipe your a$$ with the tickets and then eat them because U are definitely a piece of $$$hitt!!!!!

Posted at 1:49PM on Jul 4th 2009 by Cnoevil

32. The love and dedication he has from his fans is lifelong and unquestionable. God bless you MJ!

Posted at 1:52PM on Jul 4th 2009 by Swedish fan

33. David L is a Riot!!!!

Actually.....other than the foreigners I doubt many will show up...

I guess...Like myself..wanted a public viewing..ie James Brown

Posted at 1:54PM on Jul 4th 2009 by envoy

34. Ok so the odds r bad BUT I'm sure close 2 half the ppl didn't register correctly and jus ended up disqualifying themselves. Read the official rules, you'll c if u got disqualified or not.
Yeah Michael had fans all over this world BUT common sense should have told them 2 not open it to the world.. Its not like they're gonna be able 2 get all the way out here in time anyways.. Half of the ppl aren't gonna go picc up the tix anyways.. I'm sure sum1 stupid messed up n made up a fictitious name n realizes they can't picc them up without I.d., people signed up and realized they have no way of getting here n mayb not evn a way of going 2 obtain their ticcets.. BAD BAD idea. And the most upsetting thing is that all 11,000 people r not gonna show up while there will be others that didn't win who would have attended.
So I'm assuming the winners that dnt picc up their ticcets r not gonna be given 2 another registered person on the list rite?
This is jus a horrible idea.

Posted at 1:54PM on Jul 4th 2009 by Dom

35. "what network is televising? any in its entirety?"

E! Network. Yes.

Posted at 2:04PM on Jul 4th 2009 by FromtheRight

36.

I think the invited fools will be getting a big invitation to LA traffic!!!! Most of them have not been introduced to it yet, they would see a lot more at home watchine their TV, but maybe they have a fetish to stare at rear car bumpers

Posted at 2:08PM on Jul 4th 2009 by jujubebe

37. I won sorry guyz

Posted at 2:11PM on Jul 4th 2009 by Love Lockdown

38. i'm from algeria and i would like to attend MJ memorials "i love him very much he will live forevevr in my heart "do i have a chance to attend it?

Posted at 2:22PM on Jul 4th 2009 by fatima

39. Hi will i can tell you that if i win i will not go if their is no body, who want to here more about michael jackson, we want to see him now and lay him to rest, WE ALL LOVE HIM.

Posted at 2:30PM on Jul 4th 2009 by sam

40. Ok so the odds r bad BUT I'm sure close 2 half the ppl didn't register correctly and jus ended up disqualifying themselves. Read the official rules, you'll c if u got disqualified or not.
Yeah Michael had fans all over this world BUT common sense should have told them 2 not open it to the world.. Its not like they're gonna be able 2 get all the way out here in time anyways.. Half of the ppl aren't gonna go picc up the tix anyways.. I'm sure sum1 stupid messed up n made up a fictitious name n realizes they can't picc them up without I.d., people signed up and realized they have no way of getting here n mayb not evn a way of going 2 obtain their ticcets.. BAD BAD idea. And the most upsetting thing is that all 11,000 people r not gonna show up while there will be others that didn't win who would have attended.
So I'm assuming the winners that dnt picc up their ticcets r not gonna be given 2 another registered person on the list rite?
This is jus a horrible idea.

Posted at 2:28PM on Jul 4th 2009 by Dom

41. 13. Are the Hollywood celeberties partisapating in this lottery or do they get a free pass to attend? Seems to me everyone should have to go through the lottery to get their tickets....

Posted at 12:25PM on Jul 4th 2009 by Scot

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Well said. It's ironic that the very people who were NOT there for Michael when he needed them are now getting first priority where as his true fans who were there during the good times and bad, are now being treated so badly. MJ would have been appalled at this lottery. Shame on the Jackson family for not giving his fans a chance to say goodbye.

Posted at 2:36PM on Jul 4th 2009 by Valkyrie

42.

No funeral.......just a memorial service

No casket

No body

NO Michael

Posted at 2:38PM on Jul 4th 2009 by fedora

43. 13. Are the Hollywood celeberties partisapating in this lottery or do they get a free pass to attend? Seems to me everyone should have to go through the lottery to get their tickets....

Posted at 12:25PM on Jul 4th 2009 by Scot

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well said. It's ironic that the very people who were NOT there for Michael when he needed them are now getting first priority where as his true fans who were there during the good times and bad, are now being treated so badly. MJ would have been appalled at this lottery. Shame on the Jackson family for not giving his fans a chance to say goodbye.

Posted at 2:40PM on Jul 4th 2009 by Valkyrie

44. 13. Are the Hollywood celeberties partisapating in this lottery or do they get a
free pass to attend? Seems to me everyone should have to go through the lottery to
get their tickets....

Posted at 12:25PM on Jul 4th 2009 by Scot

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well said. It's ironic that the very people who were NOT there for Michael when he
needed them are now getting first priority where as his true fans who were there
during the good times and bad, are now being treated so badly. MJ would have been
appalled at this lottery. Shame on the Jackson family for not giving his fans a
chance to say goodbye.

Posted at 2:43PM on Jul 4th 2009 by Valkyrie

45. how do you take your name off list.

No funeral.......just a memorial service

No casket

No body

NO Michael

No want to go anymore

Posted at 2:47PM on Jul 4th 2009 by horse therapist

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