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Don't miss your shot at the 'Hamilton' digital lottery. Photo credit: Joan Marcus
For those of us who spent Monday, Nov. 6, in a fevered haze as we desperately tried to get tickets to "Hamilton" in Seattle, the news of a digital lottery is both welcome and terrifying.
Here it is: Our next (or perhaps, only) shot to see the famed Broadway show during its multiple week run at the Paramount Theatre. And here it is: Our reason to forgo all responsibilities in the name of scoring just one. more. ticket.
The digital lottery (#Ham4Ham, if you're hip like that) isn't unique to Seattle. The show has rolled out the same program — 40 orchestra tickets to every performance for $10 a ticket — wherever "Hamilton" has made its non-NYC home. (Current list: Chicago, London and, surprisingly, Tempe.)
Thanks to these earlier testing grounds, the system to enter seems pretty straightforward:
- To register, use the official "Hamilton" app or visit http://hamiltonmusical.com/
lottery. - Two days prior to the performance date of your choosing, the lottery will open at 11 a.m. PST. It will close at 9 a.m. PST the day prior to the show. The order you enter has no influence on if you win. Note: The Seattle lottery isn't open for the Feb. 15 evening show or the March 8 and 14 matinees.
- Both winners and — as the "Hamilton" PR team kindly puts it — "non-winners" will be notified of their status at 11 a.m. the day prior to the performance. You'll get that message via email and, if you provide your cell number during registration, via text.
Now, for the rules:
- Only one entry per person, per performance.
- You must be 18 or older to enter (so no deploying the kids on this one, people).
- If you win, the "Hamilton" folks will send you a customized notification email with a purchase link and code. You must use that link and code to purchase your ticket online with a credit card by 4 p.m. PST the day prior to the show. If you don't, you don't get the ticket.
- Again, if you win, you pick up your ticket at will call beginning two hours prior to the show. Bring your ID.
- No, you can't resell the ticket. It's void if you do.
When's it start? This weekend! The digital lottery opens at 11 a.m. PST on Sunday, Feb. 4, for tickets to the Tuesday, Feb. 6 performance. From there, subsequent digital lotteries will begin two days prior to each performance.
May the spirit of Lin-Manuel Miranda be with you, fellow fans.
