How Does the Wimbledon Championships Public Ballot Work?

Every year, the Wimbledon Tickets Public Ballot is held by the AELTC. One of the cheapest ways of getting tickets to the Championships, the Ballot is always oversubscribed. So how does the Ballot work and what are the odds of getting a ticket?

The History of the Public Ballot

First held in 1924, the Wimbledon Public Ballot was conceived as the fairest way of allocating tickets to the general public - including overseas applicants.

The Public Ballot was a postal registration process until 2019. Since 2020, Ballot applications are made online.

Most of the seats for Centre Court, No.1 Court , No.2 Court and No.3 Court are included in the Wimbledon Ticket Ballot.

Read more:

How Many Courts does Wimbledon Have? What's the difference?

How are Wimbledon Ballot Tickets assigned?

The Ballot is a lottery in which seats are allocated randomly to successful applicants. It is not possible to request a specific day or court. Ticket allocations are limited to two tickets per successful applicant.

Can I apply for a single ticket?

When You apply for tickets in one of the Wimbledon Ballots, you can specify whether you want a single ticket. The ballot application form contains a tick box where you can indicate that you want a single ticket.

What are the odds of winning a ticket in the Wimbledon Public Ballot?

The Ballot is always significantly oversubscribed - the chances of winning are slim.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) does not disclose the number of applications if receives annually. It is generally estimated, however, that your chances of winning the Wimbledon Public Ballot are about 1 in 10. Certainly worth a go and it costs nothing to try.

How much to Public Ballot Tickets Cost?

Tickets obtained through the Public Ballot and the Wimbledon Queue are the cheapest available for the Show Courts.

Tickets range from £46 per person on for a Day 1 ticket on No.3 Court, to £240 per person for a finals ticket in Centre Court.

When will I find out if my application has been successful?

Successful applicants are usually informed in February of the Championship year. Applicants can accept or reject the tickets. Payment for accepted tickets must be made within a specified time period. If tickets are declined, or if payment is not received within the required time frame, these tickets are re-balloted.

Are there any conditions or restrictions?

Tickets obtained through the ballot are subject to restrictions and cannot be gifted, transferred, sold or advertised for sale.

Any tickets that breach these restrictions will be void, and the ticket holder will be denied entry into the Grounds.

For more information see:

What are the Wimbledon Championships' conditions of entry?

Is there still a separate overseas ballot?

No, the overseas ballot system has been merged with the UK Public Ballot.

Is there a separate wheelchair ballot?

No, but If you or your intended companion will need a wheelchair space, there is an additional form to complete for a separate ballot.

Read more:

Is there a Wimbledon Championships wheelchair ballot?

When is the 2026 Ballot?

The 2026 Wimbledon Championships Ballot usually opens in September. Successful applicants are usually notified by November.

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