The window is now open for fans to apply for one of the most difficult tickets to acquire in sports: the 2023 Masters Tournament.
The Masters has employed a lottery system since 2012, allowing a select number of tickets per round. The odds of successfully applying online are low — but the application is free and it offers golf fans a chance to enjoy the sport's premier event.
A select few patrons — Series Badge Patrons — can attend competition from Thursday through Sunday for the incredible price of $375. (Good luck joining this group: The waiting list has been closed since 1978, although it briefly opened and closed in 2000).
For everyone else, ticket prices are likely to go for thousands of dollars on third-party ticket vendor sites. The reason? Incredible demand. The chance to see the best golfers in the world at one of the sport's most beautiful and storied venues drives that kind of price.
Here's how to apply for tickets to the 2023 Masters, as well as average ticket costs for the most famous golf event in the world.
MORE: Buy 2022 golf tickets with TicketSmarter
How to get Masters tickets 2023
Buying tickets for the 2023 Masters through the lottery is a relatively simple process. The application consists of three steps: create or confirm a Masters account; apply for tickets online; and await the lottery results.
The Masters accepts only one entry per person or address, and only one entry per household.
Below are the steps and their respective deadlines:
- Create or confirm Masters account (June 1-21)
- Apply for 2023 tickets on masters.com (June 1-21)
- Those who applied are notified with the results (July 20-23)
Masters ticket lottery odds
According to an estimate from Bookies.com, the chances of successfully applying for tickets through the Masters lottery system are 0.55 percent — as in, just over one-half of 1 percent. In betting terms, that places the money line at roughly +18000.
It's important to note that Bookies.com's methodology is inexact, considering it uses data that aren't publicly released by the Masters, including attendance figures, the number of Series Badge Patrons — essentially lifetime pass members — or the number of tickets distributed through the lottery system.
Still, this illustrates just how difficult it is to attend the premier event in golf.
How much do Masters tickets cost?
Golf's most sought-after ticket unsurprisingly commands the highest average price. Per Golf Monthly — citing a study from SlotsOnlineCanada — an average Masters ticket will cost patrons $3,000. That is the third-most expensive ticket in major sports, on average.
The top-selling ticket in sports belongs to Super Bowl LVI, which commands an average ticket price of $8,869. In a distant second is a ticket for the Stanley Cup Final, which comes in at $3,500.
Below is a rundown of ticket prices for the Masters, from various ticket vendors (prices listed reflect the cheapest available option):
- TicketSmarter: $2,883 (one-day pass) | $11,550 (four-day pass)
- StubHub: $2,750 (one-day pass)
- Vivid Seats: $2,707 (one-day pass) | $10,073 (four-day pass)
- Gametime: $2,342 (one-day pass) | $9,746 (four-day pass)
Masters practice round tickets
A slightly cheaper option exists for golf fans who want to glimpse the magic at Augusta without having to pay full price for a ticket: Buy a ticket to a practice round.
Even that commands a significant premium, with multiple ticket vendors' prices starting in the thousands of dollars. Below is a rundown of practice-round tickets; as before, prices listed reflect the cheapest option.
- TicketSmarter: $1,308
- StubHub: $1,180
- Vivid Seats: $1,095
- Gametime: $1,107
