How to make sure your Oilers tickets are real

Hockey season is in full effect here in Edmonton, and us Oilers fans are piling in front of Rogers Place night after night to catch the game. But, no matter whether you're getting tickets ahead of time, or you decide to get some last-minute, you have to stay cautious about where you're getting them from. Love for the Oilers in this city is strong and a lot of people tend to take advantage of that each season.

Luckily, not only are your friends here at Kentwood Ford big Oilers fans, but we've also got some tips to make sure other fans in the city don't get scammed. Keep reading to see how you can make sure your Oilers tickets are real to save yourself the embarrassment from getting turned away at the gate.

Buy from trusted sources, only

Sometimes, there's just no easy way to spot fake Oilers tickets when you see them printed. Modern personal printers have gotten really sophisticated over the years, and it's hard to tell the difference now. But one of the most sure-fire ways to know your tickets are real is from buying them through certified vendors, such as EdmontonOilers.com, Ticketmaster, or the NHL Ticket Exchange.

A shady character scalping a pair of concert tickets, yelling while holding a cardboard sign and wearing a red baseball hat. The concert tickets have a QR Code on them.

Be wary of printed tickets

With the growing popularity of electronic tickets and the ability to store them in your phone, there's a lot to wonder whether people still print their tickets for the game. Although if you still find yourself using physical tickets, most official vendors also have a 48-hour print rule in effect, meaning you can print them out within 2 days prior to the game. If someone attempts to sell you printed tickets before that timeframe online, it's most likely you're dealing with an unofficial vendor that's most likely trying to sell you fakes. Conversely, avoid buying tickets from vendors trying to sell you tickets outside of Roger's Place or on the street, because they're most likely not verified to sell them.

Do last-minute resale the right way

If you find the urge to catch a game a few hours before puck-drop, make sure you keep updated on official ticket vendors like Ticketmaster or the NHL Ticket Exchange, as there are a lot of people who re-list their tickets if they can't make it to the game. While the fees attached to these tickets often come at a hefty price, it beats spending any kind of money to just be turned away at the gate.

Two male ice hockey players in a fight during game. They are about to throw some punches. Referee is trying to stop them. Wearing white and red jerseys. Common scene in hockey game.

Be extra cautious around high-demand match-ups

Like any Oilers fan, we also get excited for live opportunities to watch a Battle of Alberta game or watching McDavid square off against other NHL superstars like Crosby or Ovechkin. But the disappointing reality? So does everyone else. Games like these (or even Playoff tickets **fingers crossed**) often get sold out within minutes, and you can't buy tickets for them second-hand without paying double (or sometimes triple) the price. If you see tickets for these games listed for a price that you think is too good to be true, it probably is--better watch that Ticketmaster queue more closely.

These were just a few things to look out for when buying tickets to an Oilers game. If you've still got Oilers fever as we do, check out our blog recapping our Gear for the Year contest with Leon Draisaitl!

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