NotAnInsider

It's more effective than not refreshing, but less that more windows more of the time. There are limits to how many times you can refresh before being blocked, but that only applies per browser. So multiple browsers = more refreshes = more chances. More connects, more devices, more betterer. In simple terms when you go to Glastonbury.seetickets.com it directs you to a sever that sells tickets. However, it didn't direct people to all the severs they had - there were other servers capable of selling tickets that weren't in use for whatever reason (spares incase of failure, used for something else - whatever). People worked out that you could modify the hosts file on your computer to force your browser to load Glastonbury.seetickets.com on one of these unused 'spare' servers which didn't have much traffic going to them so just gave you the form straight away with no countdown page. It seems the exploit had existed for a while; there were definitely reports & screen shots of people paying for 'guaranteed' tickets last year and it seems this is how they, and some of the big syndicates, were seeing such success. If you try and do the same trick now you get a forbidden message so it's patched.

all being fair it would be a 1/3 chance.. but it isn’t fair. The key isn’t number of people in the group but number of browser sessions and refreshes. One person with 8 sessions across multiple browsers refreshing each every 10 seconds has the same number of goes as 16 people with one browser each on the 20 sec countdown. now think that there will be groups out there with 16 people with 8 windows each refreshing every second it all starts to get silly… but that’s what we are dealing with. also worth remembering that November wasn’t a normal sale with an unknown number of tickets going to the hosts exploit.

I don't think there are anywhere near 2.5 million attempting to get tickets; maybe 500k at most and probably not even that. Loads of people have multiple registrations, are on site in another capacity, don't want to go that year, can't go that year etc etc. I can see them having 2.5 million seemingly distinct users in google analytics trying and get on the booking site, but when you think how many different browser windows people have open the number of actual individuals ticket buyers tumbles pretty rapidly. I wouldn't be surprised if the average number of browser sessions per actual genuine applicant averages out somewhere between 5 and 10, given how almost nobody just has one and some very committed people might have 20 or more across their friends and helpers. If that number is 7.5 windows per actual user (on average) that works out at a roughly 1/3 chance of getting tickets all things being fair. That feels about right; big groups manage it year on year by force and there is still a reasonable chance of an individual getting in.

Just noticed this morning that the browser I used autorefresh on yesterday is still getting the holding countdown whenever I go to Glastonbury.seetickets.co.uk. Private window (as you would expect) is able to go straight on. Anyone else who used auto refresh still getting the same thing? I wonder if they've actually done something to protect against it...

That bit is 100% true - they were telling people at signings only a few weeks ago they weren't playing at all. Suddenly changed in the last two weeks.

It's weird really. There is no edginess at the top of the bill at all, everyone is a pretty safe and ok booking. But that's it really; nothing more. Not that it matters too much, I'm just worried elsewhere is going to be way busier than normal. I can see West Holts being dangerously cramped for Justice if that Sunday plays out.

That's quite a big risk actually - I hadn't thought of that. Now the idea that changing files on your machine to get tickets is out there and effective its not a big stretch to imagine scammers creating a fake booking page and sending people to it. In the desperation for tickets I can guarantee people will fall for it. The PR fall out from that would be huge. They might be better off acknowledging the issue now and making an example of those who purchased 50+ via the exploit and taking a firmer stance in the future.

Devils advocate on the vibe thing... Like it or not, it has changed over the years I've been going. I think a lot will agree that the vibe around certain areas of the site in the early 90s was not a good one and be thankful it changed. It's shifted again in recent years, especially after covid and not in a good way. There are different types of organised groups hoovering up tickets; if you look around social media there is something to suggest that one of those groups are the type that are likely to be ketted up morons who wee on the land and get a bit fighty - some of that has had an especially high profile in the press this week. You could argue that those people are a negative for the festival overall and fewer of them being successful in the ticket sale would be better. But no one has a god given right to go the festival and the thing is going to change over time. Its the natural order of things.

Which comes back to the 'where does it end' argument. It feels that, until recently, you have had a good chance of success with commonly available things - mostly a laptop and a bit of knowledge. I get the argument that anyone so inclined can gain that knowledge and have a good chance. I think we are past that now; having a lot of sessions, internet connections and people trying for you is a requirement to even get a look and - and it is only going to get worse now that people are charging for access. The current system has had a good innings, but it's heading towards the end of its life. We're due a shake up, even if it just shifts the advantage to a different group.

I mean it's pretty much guaranteed now? There are plenty of people out there saying they got tickets by paying someone £50 and that's a whole new thing. The genie is out of the bottle and it's now a known thing that you can pay a few quid and get a ticket. Even when this particular exploit is patched the nature of the current system does make it brute forcible and now you'll have people willing to do just that, either being successful or getting scammed. It's bad for everyone - if this happens your big syndicate isn't getting in either.

Same reason we have the registration system in the first place - the Eavae care about the long term future of the festival over a yearly sell out. They knew that if touting carried on it would only have one type of attendee and that's no good a few years down the line. With exploits now known on the current system it won't be long before we see scams originating to guarantee a ticket. Festival will definitely act then. You can mitigate that one pretty easily. Registrations are manually approved as it is, so it's not a challenge to pull up all existing registrations at that address and see if they are the same person. Sure there are fringe cases like twins, people with multiple address but they can be dealt with (such as forcing tickets to go the registered address with a long drawn out system to change it after allocation). Won't be perfect but there are huge flaws with the current system too. Perhaps all we really need is a pre-batching of registrations before the current refresh fest, but only allowing one session per group.

I think we are due a change - and I say that as someone who has been successful 5 ticket sales on the trot. Success in the current system is becoming less about luck and more by the resources you have available; more devices, faster internet and more people. All things that favour a particular demographic at the expense of another which isn’t what the festival is about and isn’t good for its long term health. I question how many are actually tying for tickets. If we take the 2.5 million the BBC claim but say the average person has 5 connections (taking into account some who are just one vs those who are very organised with 20+) then it could well be that there are fewer than 500,000 actual humans attempting. I play the game; I have over 10 connections trying to bag me a ticket across various devices and networks and it’s successful so far. But I recognise it’s unfair and you have to acknowledge that there is an environmental impact to all this in terms of scaling up the server capacity. Now there are huge groups of 100s of people who don’t know each other aside form ticket day and known exploits its feels like time for a change. I don’t think a queue or a ballot system is the answer, Glastonbury needs something bespoke. Perhaps something like: 9am on ticket day: log in, enter up to six registrations into a pre ballot. Individual registrations may only be in one entry and each person may only have one registration each. 9.30: ballots are randomly assigned the opportunity to pay a deposit, with payments processing in order. It still rewards being there at the right time, but it removes the impact of having 10s of connections and 100s of people trying so that the little, less tech savvy person still has a chance. Whatever the answer maybe, it does feel the days of the current system being fit for purpose are numbered.

Seen quite a few reports on Twitter, Reddit & elsewhere that people were charging between £20 - £100 to secure tickets, presumably via the hosts exploit. Seems some suggestion that it's not new and has been going on a year or two, it's just only now that word has got out. There are definitely places that are trying to keep a lid on discussion about it.

Imagine the chaos if they made unannounced changes like that. Would be hilarious in a way. Maybe a mixup would do us good.

Yeah, there are ways around it. But not everyone has credit cards or whatever or may not be able to get one in two weeks. Doesn't impact me so I'm not arsed, but it might change the dynamic a bit. Or it might not. Who knows?