Ticket Reselling: Arbitrage Between Primary and Secondary Markets
Buy tickets at face value and sell them for a profit โ but margins are thinner and legal risks higher than they appear.
Ticket reselling operates on an arbitrage principle: buy tickets during primary sales and resell them on legitimate secondary platforms such as StubHub, Viagogo, Ticketmaster Resale, or SeatGeek. The key is choosing the right event, calculating your true margin after fees (typically 27โ31% on the primary market and 31% on the secondary), and being willing to sell below cost if a ticket doesn't shift. The global secondary market runs into billions, but the average broker earns a fraction of what the headline markup suggests.
A sold-out Wembley show, a stadium tour, or a Premier League final โ and a ticket going for double on the secondary market. It's an enticing picture. In reality, platform commission fees, dynamic pricing, and increasingly strict UK and international regulation have significantly narrowed the space for genuine profit. Beginners also face sophisticated algorithms that quickly flag bulk purchasers.
๐The secondary ticket market keeps growing
Global secondary market volumes rise year on year. Demand for sold-out events consistently outstrips primary supply, creating a structural gap that resellers can exploit โ if they act with precision.
