Story Created:
Jul 3, 2009 at 7:53 PM CST
Story Updated:
Jul 3, 2009 at 9:39 PM CST
If you're looking for one 17,000 free tickets to Michael Jackson's Tuesday memorial service at Los Angeles' Staples Center, you are not alone.
So far, the center's web site has received 1 billion hits...with 500-thousand people already signed up for the ticket lottery.
Some fans paying their respects on Michael Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame hope they'll be able to say farewell at the Staples Center. Some of them are registered for the lottery
"It took me 20-minutes, it kept saying server unavailable, server unavailable every time you hit submit." Kevin Cikatricis and Corey Barry both registered, increasing their odds - a common theme in households where Michael Jackson is held in high regard.
"I went on right away, it took me - like, ten-minutes when I went on. But my son was on the other computer in the next room and he couldn't get on."
Some fans are banking on their chances of being chosen to receive two tickets in the lottery. One person on eBay will sell one ticket if selected. the bidding starts at 15-hundred dollars. The hopeful seller says the money from the sale would pay travel expenses to Los Angeles, and donate the rest to charity. Many fans, like Chris Berry, say the lottery concept only seems logical. "That's the way I expected them to do it, just because I didn't think they want people to go all the way downtown to get the tickets, that would create a mess, so, but yah, I think it's fair."
But only U-S residents can log on to "StaplesCenter.com/memorial" to sign up for the ticket drawing. Andrea Eckerbon is from Sweden. "I'm not giving up yet, I'm going to try to get in, and yea. You can watch it on television. So that would be plan B then."
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