HAMILTON's Digital Lottery--Just for the Winter

[mamaleh]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 1:58pm

 It's supposed to revert to the usual outdoor one as soon as spring sets in.  But as insanely difficult as it is now to win, I wonder what the astronomical odds will be during these blustery days?

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/HAMILTON-to-Implement-Digital-Lottery-for-Winter-Months-Ham4Ham-to-Return-This-Spring-20160104

[mattporter17]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 2:04pm

Honestly, as someone who has done the lottery once, this makes perfect sense given how crazy the lottery is. To the people upset about no more Ham4Ham shows, Lin said he and the cast would be making some videos inside to make up. 

I think I can speak for a lot of people when I say the Lottery wasn't exactly a pleasant experience. I got there at 4:45 and the line had already wrapped around the building through the Mariott Marquis. After putting your name in you  stand in a giant crowd where there's a small chance at even hearing let alone seeing the lottery performance.

So while I think this move is all for the best given what I mentioned in the first paragraph, I am excited to see how the "venture" develops in the Spring.

Updated On: 1/4/16 at 02:04 PM

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 2:06pm

i knew this was coming, what does this mean for the standing room tickets i wonder?

[Sorry-Grateful]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 2:18pm

I understand why this was done, I just don't like it for a variety of reasons. With a show this popular, the chances of fraud are through the roof. All you need is some fake IDs and you can double/triple/etc. your chances of winning. Goodbye hopes of ever hitting it...

[PianoMann]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 2:19pm

I think this move is for the best for the winter, especially considering the bitter temperatures we could and will experience from now through March.

 

I'm sure they will have thousands more entries each day now that it is moving to digital and therefore the likelihood of winning decreases even further, but at least I will now have the chance to enter every day.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 2:24pm

THANK GOODNESS.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 2:35pm

My chances of winning were already slim. At least this way I don't have to leave my house in the freezing cold and risk getting run over by a truck when the pen overflows in front of the Richard Rogers. Weighing the possibility of fraud against the cold and the relatively craziness of the crowds, I'm glad the Hamilton team made this decision. 

[toofunktastic2]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 2:39pm

Seems like they're also working with the city to make things safer as well.  

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 3:00pm

I saw some of the crowds last week and it truly didn't feel safe.  Crowds were everywhere, including the street, making it hazardous for so many people. I think with the lotto numbers being over 1000 people, this is just the better option for the time being. Yes, it may put more people into the lottery and make winning harder, but everyone is safer.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 3:05pm

But you're not a real Hamilton fan if you haven't risked your life by standing in the middle of the street waiting to win a $10 ticket!

[Dave13]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 3:21pm

Wish they would do something for cancellation line that was fair to everyone. Maybe allow people to line up, but then take their name and number, and call them back when a ticket became available. Or simply give out numbers and have people come back at a specific time for available tickets. 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 3:23pm

Dave13 said: "Wish they would do something for cancellation line that was fair to everyone. Maybe allow people to line up, but then take their name and number, and call them back when a ticket became available. Or simply give out numbers and have people come back at a specific time for available tickets. "

 

I agree, especially since many of those people may be from out of town. That sucks that they have to spend a whole day in the city standing in a line.

[BroadwayGuy12]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 3:28pm

I also imagine the cancellation line is about to get crazier, considering that's where any unclaimed lottery tickets are headed after that 60-minute window.

[LarryD2]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 3:31pm

gypsy101 said: "Dave13 said: "Wish they would do something for cancellation line that was fair to everyone. Maybe allow people to line up, but then take their name and number, and call them back when a ticket became available. Or simply give out numbers and have people come back at a specific time for available tickets. "

 

 

 

I agree, especially since many of those people may be from out of town. That sucks that they have to spend a whole day in the city standing in a line.

 

"

People prioritize what is important to them. If a chance to see Hamilton is more important to someone than going to MoMA or the Cloisters, then they will stand in line for 8 hours if they have to. What you're suggesting probably would not be logistically possible, in addition to creating a significant amount of extra work for the box office staff.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 3:53pm

IS it a Today Tix thing or how do I enter and when's it start? THe article seemed vague. 

[MyLife]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 3:57pm

It's not vague at all. There is a direct link to the website where the digital lottery will be held.

[sorano916]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 4:06pm

RippedMan said: "IS it a Today Tix thing or how do I enter and when's it start? THe article seemed vague. 

"

 

No, it's not through TodayTix. It's through this website: https://lottery.broadwaydirect.com/show/hamilton/

Updated On: 1/4/16 at 04:06 PM

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 4:38pm

Make it fairer now, everyone knew that if 400/500 were waiting outside the Richard Rodgers there would be 3/4 times that number of ballots submitted, where people put in multiple entries.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 4:45pm

"No, it's not through TodayTix. It's through this website: https://lottery.broadwaydirect.com/show/hamilton/"

 

By the way, I'm glad about this since TodayTix hasn't worked for me for months.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 5:12pm

And to whomever said that folks will now just get fake IDs to enter.....what's keeping those same people from doing that NOW??

[Patty3]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 8:16pm

I was there on Saturday and the line was down 46th around the Marriott Marquis and down 45th. I have seen Hamilton once and opted for a good spot for the Ham4Ham show instead of taking a chance for a ticket with 1,000 people. If we had waited on that line we would have been far from the theater and wouldn't be able to see or hear anything. I think I made the right choice as it was the next to last Ham4Ham show. I honestly can't imagine how they will ever be able to accommodate that number of people safely. I will be surprised if the live lottery and show will be back in the spring.

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 8:43pm

I stopped by the theatef to ask about standing room this afternoon. It was a bit weird, the guy at the window turned to someone else in the box office and said "do you want to tell him about that" and the guy said there will be no more standing room sold and then the guy at the window repeated it. I didn't push to ask why as they both seemed to be annoyed that someone was at their window.

[smidge]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 8:50pm

If everyone can refrain from entering the digital lottery on 1/20 it will be greatly appreciated 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 9:29pm

smidge said: "If everyone can refrain from entering the digital lottery on 1/20 it will be greatly appreciated "

 

LOL that will probably subconsciously make everyone want to enter the lottery.

[willep]

Posted: 1/4/16 at 11:58pm

The in person lotto line is absurd. I've done it a few times to no avail, so at least now I can enter and lose without having to go through that madness.