How to Get Masters Tickets: The Lottery System Fully Explained
Getting tickets to The Masters is genuinely one of the hardest challenges in sport. The demand is almost incomprehensibly larger than the supply. Augusta National's solution is a lottery system — but the word lottery makes it sound simpler than it is. Here's the complete guide to how Masters tickets actually work, what your realistic options are, and what you need to do to give yourself the best possible chance of attending.
The Patron Badge System: The Gold Standard
The most coveted Masters tickets aren't tickets at all — they're series badges. These are annual multi-day passes held by a fixed group of patrons who receive them year after year. The patron badge waiting list was established in 1972, closed in 1978, briefly reopened in 2000, and has been permanently closed since. Upon the death of a badge holder, the badge transfers only to a surviving spouse — not to other family members. This means the badge system is effectively frozen. If you don't already have one, you're not getting one through official channels. A series badge on the secondary market reportedly starts around $10,000 or more.
The Official Lottery: Your Real Chance
For non-badge holders, the Augusta National Ticket Lottery is the official path to attendance. Here's how it works:
When does it open? The lottery typically opens on June 1 each year for the following April's Masters. The 2026 Masters lottery opened June 1, 2025 and closed June 20, 2025. For the 2027 Masters, the lottery will open approximately June 1, 2026.
Where do you apply? Applications are available exclusively at tickets.masters.com. You must create an account using your permanent residential address.
What can you apply for? Practice round tickets (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) and tournament round tickets (Thursday through Sunday). You can apply for up to four practice round tickets per day and up to two tournament round tickets per day. However, you can only win tickets for one day total.
What are the ticket prices? For 2026, practice round tickets were $125 for Monday and Tuesday, $150 for Wednesday, and tournament round tickets were $160 per day. Prices have increased modestly year over year.
What are your odds? Approximately 1 in 200, or about 0.55%, for a single tournament-round day. The practice round odds are somewhat better but still challenging. Augusta National never officially discloses how many tickets are available through the lottery.
Important Lottery Rules
- You can only apply once, from your permanent residential address
- You cannot apply from a second home, business, or temporary address
- Only one application per household
- You must be at least 21 years old to apply
- Winners are notified by email in late July
- Payment is due by an August deadline if you're selected
- Tickets are mailed in March
- Tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable
The Resale Warning
Augusta National is absolutely clear: resale of Masters tickets is strictly prohibited. Buyers who attend with tickets purchased on the secondary market risk being escorted off the grounds permanently. Selling tickets within 2,700 feet of Augusta National's gates is illegal ticket scalping under Georgia state law. Despite this, a secondary market exists — but the risks are real and the prices are extreme.
Other Ways to Get Tickets
Corporate hospitality packages exist that include tournament access bundled with accommodation and experiences — these are expensive but legitimate. Some charity events and pro-am tournaments offer Masters tickets as prizes. And PGA professionals can request limited ticket access through their PGA affiliation.
The Bottom Line
Apply for the lottery every year starting June 1. It takes five minutes online. At 0.55% odds per application, consistent multi-year applications meaningfully improve your cumulative chances over time. And if you never win the lottery, the free Masters.com streaming coverage is genuinely the best alternative to being there — far better than attending most other sporting events in person.
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