500 days to go: Olympic tickets go on sale

Tickets for the London 2012 Olympics are on sale. In all there are 6.6 million available to the general public for over 600 Olympic sessions.

The organisers expect very high demand for these tickets, so they have decided to run a ticket ballot. Under the system, you will have six weeks to apply to buy these tickets on the official website.

Tickets can also be bought by postal order or cheque using a paper application form available at Lloyds TSB in England and Wales, Bank of Scotland branches in Scotland, or local libraries in Northern Ireland.

To buy on the internet you will need a Visa debit, credit card or pre pay account to apply for tickets. You will find out in June if you have been successful and which tickets you have been allocated.

You will find out in June if you have been successful and which tickets you have been allocated.

You must make sure you have enough money in your account because your account will be debited at the end of May this year. If you find out after you have bought tickets that for what ever reason you can no longer attend then an official buy back scheme will exist next year to resale your unwanted tickets.

However it is a criminal offence to try and resell Olympic tickets for a profit on the internet or in person, and the Government has increased the fine for ticket touting from £5,000 to £20,000.

Black market prices are likely to soar for tickets that should cost no more than £750 with some experts speculating that top-end seats forthe highlight of the athletics agenda, the 100m final, could be passing hands for up to £10,000.