How I won Tickets to Ellen, Concerts and Awards Shows

Jan 14, 2020

4 min read

Okay, I didn’t necessarily “win” the tickets, but I like to use that term because basically all I do is sign up for the tickets and then people are chosen at random. 99% of the time I’m placed on the waitlist and don’t hear back from the site until the WEEK OF the show. Here’s a list of how I got those tickets, but honestly it’s really luck of the draw!

1. The Ellen Show

If you were following my personal account last year, you’d know that I attended The Ellen Show last January and it so happened to be the taping of her birthday show!

What to do: Here’s the link to her website: https://send.ellentv.com/tickets/
Sign up for the dates that are available and you wait! If you get chosen, you will receive an email from an Ellen representative asking if you’d like to bring any guests with you and you confirm if you can attend or not.
I think I signed up in late November and didn’t hear back until January, about a week and a half before the taping date.
Things to keep in mind: her studio is located in Burbank, CA so if you do get chosen, you want to make sure you can make it out here to LA! Luckily for me, this was a few weeks after we moved in and it so happened to be only 20 minutes away from my apartment; (thank you sweet Jesus).
You also don’t know who will be a special guest, who’s performing, what theme her show is, or if there’s anything special going on UNTIL you arrive on set and she comes out on stage— so we didn’t find out it was her birthday show until we got there!!
Because we were celebrating her birthday, that’s how we received all the gifts. Not every show she does giveaways. And lucky for us, we got to take home 2 of everything 😜
ALSO: they DO NOT allow any type of photography or recording during the taping. You are surrounded by her crew during the entire show and they watch you like a hawk. If you pull your phone out, you will be escorted out immediately. Ellen claims there’s hidden mics in the seats, Idk if that’s true or not though LOL.

Here are some photos of the time we went and the gifts we won :3 -- swipe to view photos.

2. iHeart Radio Music Festival, The Voice, People’s Choice Awards, Early Movie Screeni

Seems like 2019 was the year for us! So for these particular special events, I’ve been using the same website over and OVER again. It works the same way as Ellen in the sense you sign up with your account profile, you’ll likely get waitlisted. So then you wait for an email to see if tickets become available.

What to do: Click here and create an account https://1iota.com
On the home page, you will see the events that are available for sign up— talk shows, concerts, and movie screenings are what they’re best known for.
Things to keep in mind: 1iota is based mainly in NY and LA, but sometimes they go outside those two cities, like how I went to the iHeart Radio Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada.
If you get chosen, there is designated check-in time and if you miss that time frame, the event will get full and they will turn you away.
ALSO, make sure to keep the entire day or evening free because you will do LOTS of waiting. If check-in time is 10:30 AM, the taping won't start until 12:00 PM, and won’t finish until probably 3:30-4:00 PM. YOU WILL INDEED BECOME HANGRY.
What I love about 1iota is they’re very organized and highly recognized. Their staff keeps everyone in line and just because we’re considered “fans,” the events are very formal. + follow their dress code or you will look dumb haha.
And as always, they do not allow phones for taping or early movie screenings. We have to keep them in the car or they will not allow us in.

Here are some other pics/descriptions of the events I attended in 2019, in order of most recent event:

Horror Movie - Early Screening. November 2019.

(p.s. I LOVE LOVE LOVE horror movies)

Burbank, CA
I'm not allowed to talk about this because they took a photo of me after I signed a contract. BUT I will say the movie was freaking amazing. They don't tell you what movie it is until you are seated in the theater. Once we found out, I lost it! I was so happy! Everyone who came to the screening were the first group of people in the entire country to see this movie.
It plans to release in September 2020 and we got to see it while it was still under construction and in the editing process.
Security held onto our phones so I have zero evidence I was even there.

E! People's Choice Awards. September 11, 2019

Santa Monica, CA
Special performances by Alessia Cara, Kelsea Ballerini
Highlights: People's Icon of 2019- Jennifer Aniston, Fashion Icon of 2019- Gwen Stefani, People's Champion of 2019- Pink
Movie of 2019: Avenger's Endgame
The cool thing about this event was they were serving unlimited alcohol (canned wine or beer) and provided us with popcorn as we watched.

iHeart Radio Festival Day 2. September 21, 2019

T-Mobile Center @ Las Vegas, Nevada
Special performances by Def Leppard, Miley Cyrus, H.E.R., Alicia Keys, Chance the Rapper, Mumford & Sons, Zac Brown Band, Marshmello
The best thing about this event: it was 100% free, but we did have to pay for our own hotel. We got super good seats. The production was INCREDIBLE. iHeart Radio really takes the time to make sure their production is on point. I cried a lot (happy tears), especially during Alicia Keys!!

The Voice - Battle Rounds Taping. August 5, 2019

Universal City @ Universal Studios. Los Angeles, CA
I wasn't allowed to bring my phone, but this was a very cool experience because it took place inside one of the actual studios that are located inside Universal Studios. If you've ever been on the "studio tour," you'll know what I'm talking about!
We parked in the Universal Studios parking garage, took an elevator down and somehow ended up on the studio grounds. Then we had to ride a shuttle to the actual studio.
I got to see John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani, and Blake Shelton :) They were only a few feet away from me!