Hong Kong Masters snooker tickets flood black market, high-end seats snapped up by touts after going on official sale
- Snooker chiefs fear most expensive tickets for October event have ended up in hands of scalpers after going on sale on Wednesday
- Many users could not access official vendor URBTIX’s online system for hours, with HKBSCC chairman Vincent Law Wing-chung feeling ‘highly suspicious’
Tickets for the 2022 Hong Kong Masters were in huge demand after going on sale on Wednesday morning, with top-tier seats selling out in two hours – but snooker chiefs fear they may have ended up in the hands of scalpers.
World champion Ronnie O’Sullivan has been announced as the headline attraction of the four-day tournament, which is set to get under way on October 6 at the 8,000-capacity Hong Kong Coliseum in Hung Hom.
More tickets have seemingly been snapped up by touts after the Leisure and Cultural Services Department put them up for official sale on its online URBTIX platform.
“It took me so long to get into the system this morning – many of the people we know can’t get in,” said Vincent Law Wing-chung, the chairman of the Hong Kong Billiard Sports Control Council (HKBSCC). “After a few hours, when some of us were finally able to log in, all the expensive tickets were sold out.
“Then we saw messages outside about offers of ‘black market’ tickets. It is highly suspicious why those people will be able to sell so many nice tickets.”
