I finally won the lottery! No, it wasn’t a lottery where I won a lot of money. I won the lottery for cheap tickets to see Hamilton on Broadway.
Hamilton is still one of the most popular Broadway shows in New York City. Tickets can be hard to get and also very expensive. This is how I was able to surprise my girlfriend with $10 tickets to Hamilton for her birthday, and how you can win cheap tickets to Hamilton as well.
How Much Does it Cost to See Hamilton?
Ticket prices depend on:
- The time of the year: The summer and leading up to Christmas are the busiest times of the year in NYC, and thus shows are more expensive.
- Showtime: Afternoon shows are slightly cheaper than evening shows.
- The theater has three sections: Orchestra, Front Mezzanine, and Rear Mezzanine
- Center Seats vs Sides: The center seats are generally more expensive.
But generally speaking, tickets range from the low $100s in the rear mezzanine to over $300 in the front orchestra section. Check ticket prices
Note about ticket resellers: During the busy season when shows often sell out you can find tickets being resold for much higher than the original prices and in some cases could be counterfeit tickets. Hamilton recommends you only buy from their authorized website or in person at the box office.
How to Get $10 Tickets to Hamilton
Luckily, Hamilton runs a lottery where winners are awarded front row or second row seats for just $10. The number of tickets they include in the lottery can change and has ranged from around 20-46 per show. Thousands of people enter, so you may want to keep entering every week. The odds will also get slightly better in January and February, which are typically the slowest months.
How long it took me to win: I entered every week starting before Christmas and won tickets about one month later in mid-January.
How to Enter the Lottery for Hamilton Tickets
Step 1: Download the Hamilton app from the Apple or Google store or get it from the website here.
Step 2: Navigate to the header that says “Lottery,” fill out the entry form, and click “Enter Now.” You can enter to win 2 tickets. The lottery opens every Friday at 10am and closes at noon the following Thursday
Step 3: Winners are notified between 12-4 every Thursday for the upcoming week’s performances. It’s important to know that you have only 2 hours to claim and pay for tickets after being notified that you won. You must then show an ID that matches the entry in order to pick them up at the Box Office.
How Often can I Enter the Lottery for Hamilton Tickets?
You can enter every week for every show that is playing the following week. You can also just choose specific shows if you can’t make it to all showtimes.
But each weekly entry is limited to one per person. Duplicate entries, including those using those using other emails will be discarded. Remember, the name you use when entering must match the ID presented when you pick up the tickets. So, what this means is if you want to go with your spouse, you can both enter the lottery, but neither of you can enter multiple times.
How many Hamilton Tickets Can I Get?
If you win the lottery, you have the option of purchasing up to 2 tickets at $10 each.
