Cookie policy
Follow this topicFollow this topic Knowledge » Freebies

Free Olympic events and last-minute tickets

Rebecca Rutt
by Lovemoney Staff Rebecca Rutt on 03 August 2012  |  Comments 19 comments

With the Olympics underway, here's everything you need to know about getting last-minute tickets and how you can watch for free.

Free Olympic events and last-minute tickets

The Olympic Games have started and for those of you desperate to be there in person see the action, there are still ways to do so.

Despite all the fuss when tickets initially went on sale, some cheaper tickets remain unsold, mostly for the football tournament.

It's worth checking the official website regularly as tickets are still being released for sale or resale. Following the controversy over empty seats at many venues, batches of returned tickets for the following day's action are being released intermittently.

The kind folks at Prominent Media have created this nifty 2012 Ticket List, which is not always 100% accurate, as tickets go on sale and sell out in a matter of minutes. But it saves you searching through all the events yourself and links directly through to the relevant event's ticket page. If you're really keen, keep it open and refresh it periodically.

If you don't want to pay to see the Olympics, there are still several free events you can go along to.

Marathon

The Olympic marathons takes place on the 5th August for women and 12th August for men and and it’s another event where spectators can watch the athletes for free at viewing spots along the race track. As with other events, it starts and ends at The Mall and the route goes along the river and does a loop around St Paul's, Bank, Aldgate and Tower Hill. 

Triathlon

This event will take place in Hyde Park, on the 4th August for women and the 7th August for men, starting and ending at the Serpentine. The major viewing spots, such as Buckingham Palace where the bike route will pass, are ticketed, but it’s possible to watch the events for free in Hyde Park.

Race Walk

The race walk, which is a bit like power walking around a route, is another free event – unless you’re in the prime start and finish location of The Mall. The men’s event takes place on the 5th August and the women’s on the 11th August and it's free to watch if you're in the area of the track outside The Mall (as shown on the map).

Be prepared

If you want to watch some of these outdoor events, make sure you arrive early and come prepared.

Given the recent weather we've had, check the forecast before you travel. The travel situation is expected to be chaotic so check your journey before you set off on the Transport for London website and leave a lot of extra time to get to your destination.

Refreshments will be expensive so my advice is to make your own food to avoid overspending on the day. Information on security and what items you can take into the events can be found on the main website.

If you can't get to London

The BBC has set up big screens across the country to let people watch the games. It's free and screens can be found in locations such as Festival Square in Edinburgh, Exchange Gate in Manchester, Humberstone Gate in Leicester and Armada Way in Plymouth. A full list of venues can be found on the Big Screen website.

This article has been updated

More from lovemoney

Six things you can recycle for cash

Free festivals and events for summer 2012

Cheap and free things to do with the kids in the summer holidays

Frugal Friday: sales, deals, discounts, vouchers and freebies

Enjoyed this? Show it some love

Twitter
General

Comments (19)

  • Nutmeg
    Love rating 4
    Nutmeg said

    Thanks for the tips, Rebecca. It's good to know that there are still a lot of ways to see the Olympics.

    Report on 18 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • CJB666
    Love rating 5
    CJB666 said

    You are assuming that folks are still interested in the Olympics. Having been well priced out of tickets at the beginning, AND now reading about all the restrictions as to what can and what cannot be taken into events, e.g. no liquids(100ml only), no picnic food, over-priced non-British food and drink sans chips, no long range cameras, no logo branded items apart from the mega-corp. sponsors', being body searched by underage yoofs from sink estates (if they can be bothered to turn up), paying an arm and a leg for transportation to/from the venue, etc., I don't think so. Since the whole Big Shen will be on t.v. I can eat, drink, and wear what I like in my own space - with the remote handy for when I'm bored.

    Report on 19 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  2 loves
  • msmoneywise
    Love rating 27
    msmoneywise said

    Oh well! What a surprise!! Tickets are still available. Let us hope that this prohibitively expensive shenanigan will not end up costing the taxpayers even more than it already has. So agree with CJB666. Why waste time, effort and money going to these venues when you can see multiple events on your TV in the comfort of your own home?

    I wonder how many unsold tickets there are on the other EU websites?

    Report on 19 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • fenemore
    Love rating 202
    fenemore said

    I lost interest in the Olympics many years ago when professional sportsmen & women were allowed to compete. Up until then, players at club level stood a chance of getting a medal. For instance there are some very good amateur tennis players out there that no longer have a hope. All the multi-millionaire players took over.

    Of course it is no longer about the sport, only the money. The whole thing is one almighty mess dominated by big business as demonstrated by the "brand" police!

    Not only will I not be watching any of it, I never wanted the Olympics in the first place. Bidding for them, we were actually bidding to be in debt for the next 30 years.

    Montreal held them in 1976, but it took them until 2006 to finally clear the debt.

    Greece might not be in such a pickle now if they hadn't hosted them 8 years ago - all funded by borrowed money. You have to wonder why ANY city or country would want to host them.

    Report on 19 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • jamiecfc1
    Love rating 39
    jamiecfc1 said

    Lots of negativeness towards the Olympics! I can understand some of the comments but having a major once-in-a-lifetime event in your backyard is a special moment. Personally I've got tickets for one of the Women's football games at Coventry - 2 games for £20? Bargain!

    Report on 19 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • In Hope Over Experience
    Love rating 0
    In Hope Over Experience said

    I agree totally with all the negative things that have been said about the Olympics. There are so many thing that are disgraceful. I want to be proud of my country but with everything that is going on, I cannot be anything but ashamed. That said I have always wanted to go to the Olympics but I am an old aged pensioner living in the North of England. There is no way that I can afford to pay for tickets, the rail fare down and accommodation. The powers that be are going to shame us all by the things they have done and with the empty seats at the Olympics. Yet again it is OK for the rich, but the poor get nothing.

    Report on 19 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • Meanmachine2
    Love rating 37
    Meanmachine2 said

    As has been stated in some of the comments, the Olympics are all about money now.

    When an athlete can get a Solicitor to say that he has to be selected for a team, that about sums up the financial stakes.

    Not interested in the event despite the hype, even when the torch went down the road near my house.

    If I could afford to leave the country for the duration I would, as all we are going to get on the TV for entertainment are millions of Olympic action replays & gushing athletes who are simply mentally working out how much they can make.

    I am also sitting back with eager anticipation to see the transportation chaos around Stratford as I used to commute that route years ago & the trains were packed solid then.

    Report on 19 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • electricblue
    Love rating 643
    electricblue said

    It must be really lonely for journalists trotting out the propaganda that we should all be interested in getting tickets.

    The Olympics isn't about pride in being British and what we can achieve - those things are covered by inventing DNA profiling, the Internet and having the most secure democracy in the world. Also not to mention having the best engineers and making the best aero engines and a host of technological products without which other countries could not succeed. We're stuck with an expensive folly which MOST of us didn't want but now we'll make the best of it because failure will cost us even more. I'm in the North of England and there is no benefit whatsoever other than manufacturing contracts which would have been better spent on National infrastructure. I've already seen the farcical traffic chaos which the torch relay has caused in many regions and I'll be steering well clear of London for the next few weeks.

    Sebastian Coe should have stuck to running because in politics and being in touch with the average person he's a waste of space.

    Report on 19 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • jchapman1964
    Love rating 1
    jchapman1964 said

    bah humbug....

    my kids are so looking forward to the Olympics. for them, none of this is about politics, or money; it's about people working their bodies hard and trying to be really good at what they do. surely that's something to be proud of?

    miserable sods - go get some sunshine. actually.. don't bother coming back.. /me smiles sweetly.

    Report on 19 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • John Fitzsimons
    Love rating 30
    John Fitzsimons said

    Just thought I should point out this is one of our most-read articles this week. So to suggest that nobody is interested is a little wide of the mark (unless everyone only read the article in order to get jolly cross and leave a moaning comment, and saw they'd been beaten to the punch...)

    From my own point of view, this festival of niche sports is not exactly my thing so I won't be going to any events. But I know plenty of people who are and who are really excited about it. Some of them - gasp, horror - are actually from the North as well!

    John

    Editor

    Report on 20 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • Meanmachine2
    Love rating 37
    Meanmachine2 said

    Just think what else the money could have been spent on with a far longer lasting legacy.

    Better than the abandoned site that the Olympic site will probably become.

    A few new hospitals would have been nice & they wouldn't need 10,000 security staff.

    Report on 20 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • electricblue
    Love rating 643
    electricblue said

    @John

    I must have asked 200 people what their opinion of the Olympics was because my American business partner was convinced that my opinion was out of step with the rest of the UK population. Of course we are all interested to comment, perhaps even in interested in some of the sports, but every published survey at all levels including CEO's of major companies has indicated that a huge majority of the British public are not in favour of the UK stumping up a fortune to have the games in the UK. Of course there are people, even in the North, who are keen on the Olympics (a portable buildings firm near me was awarded a massive contract). There are also a few who like John Prescott and rather more who believe in fairies.....

    I'm very much in favour of a permanent Olympic games site situated in Greece and paid for by every competing country in the world. A legacy of ruined economies and wasteland facilities around the world is justifiable precisely how?

    Report on 20 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  1 love
  • hopefultom
    Love rating 43
    hopefultom said

    jchapman1964

    Just like you & your kids, I, and many of the people posting comments on here will be watching many of the events on telly, partly because there will be bugger-all else to watch. The fact remains, however, that the enormous cost, to us the taxpayers ( which, incidentally we will be borrowing ) could have been spent to much better effect on, say, better local sports facilities for kids like yours.

    As for " people working their bodies hard and trying to be really good at what they do. Surely that's something to be proud of ?" I would just say two words "Dwayne Chambers ". Without going into detail, which I suspect would not be acceptable to Lovemoney, could I ask you if you would be happy if any of your kids followed the same path ?

    Report on 20 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • TravelQ
    Love rating 0
    TravelQ said

    I'm going to several Olympics events having bought cheaper tickets during the resales window and am taking a weeks holiday to make the most of it. For me I honestly believe that this is a 'once in a lifetime' experience and I for one am not prepared to miss it. My boyfriend and I are getting increasingly excited about the events we are lucky enough to be going to see, and already planning to have friends over to watch the opening ceremony.

    From watching the coverage of the torch going by I don't think its true that no one is excited about the Olympics at all.

    I really wish that there was less focus on the costs, the big business, the restrictions on using words, G4S etc etc etc as once again I think we are doing what we are best at and doing ourselves down when we should be focusing on the coming together of so many talented sports people who have worked many years of their lives to get one chance to shine in a two week period. The idea of having one dedicated Olympics park is a fine one, but presently unrealistic.

    Report on 23 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • JOHN MAXWELL
    Love rating 56
    JOHN MAXWELL said

    there is a difference between not being interested in the Olympics and wishing it failure. my interest so far has been zero, once the events start i am sure i will watch some on TV. the bidding system is no more than a very expensive ego trip for the IOC. since winning the bid to host the games in London, which apparently was due solely to David Beckham, we have witnessed a ridiculous logo, ludicrous mascots and the farcical running of a multitude of torches around the nation. the Olympics are no longer a localised sporting event it is a global business. i wish the Olympics every success and look forward to a full and factual report on the cost to the tax payer and on who has made any financial gains from it.

    Report on 27 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • electricblue
    Love rating 643
    electricblue said

    I think that the most disparaging comments have been in the vein that 'most' people are not interested in the Olympics and that sentiment has been statistically true from the outset. We can grumble about the costs but now at least hope it all works out and that those who are involved have a great time.

    I certainly don't think anyone posting on here wants the Olympics to fail and Cameron is now pegging the global business reputation of the UK onto the show we put on. I doubt that G4S have gained much in their global reputation and so there are huge risks to any company or individual tainted with even the smallest failure, but there is much to be proud of. I'm delighted at the extended Sunday trading hours and bet we get them long term after the money is counted.

    Report on 27 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • Mike10613
    Love rating 599
    Mike10613 said

    It seems people are paying 50 pounds each for tickets, far less than to see formula one. Formula One makes a profit, the Olympics will make a multi billion pound loss. It is bad business at a time of recession. Can we afford it? It is also very elitist, even the para-Olympics doesn't really help seriously disabled people. Use the 12 billion to help seriously disabled and sick people and I would support it. Charity begins at home for our Lords, Masters and Coe...

    Report on 27 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • Hardtruth
    Love rating 66
    Hardtruth said

    Well Mike10613 and Meanmachine2 amply show that if there was an event for whining, bleating and moaning a gold medal would be a no brainer. Your point is not new, everyone knows it and nothing can be done about it. So time to unscrunch your faces and get over yourselves.

    Report on 27 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • g1ng3rcat
    Love rating 9
    g1ng3rcat said

    I must admit I'm very disappointed - I love the Olympics particularly (as a former - and still part-time - runner) the track and field events, and got very excited when I heard we were to host, as I stupidly imagined I would be able to take my daughter. Sadly reality hit home - not only can I not afford hundreds of pounds for a pair of tickets (on top of transport and the incidentals) but apparently (according to the sponsor competitions being run by the likes of Coke Zero) you need to be at least 12years old to be a spectator, ruling out my 9-year-old. But hey, you never know - if I am still alive in another 64 years, maybe we will get to go together...

    Report on 31 July 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves

Post a comment

Sign in or register to post a reply.

Related content

Our top deals

Credit card
company 		Balance transfers rate and period Representative
APR 		Apply
now

Barclaycard 26Mth Platinum Visa

0% for 26 months (3.5% fee) Representative 18.9% APR (variable) Apply
Representative example: assumed borrowing of £1,200, representative 18.9% APR (variable). Purchase rate 18.9% PA (variable)

Barclaycard 25Mth Platinum Visa

0% for 25 months (2.4% fee) Representative 18.9% APR (variable) Apply
Representative example: assumed borrowing of £1,200, representative 18.9% APR (variable). Purchase rate 18.9% PA (variable). BT fee is reduced from 3.5% to 2.4% (T&Cs apply)

Halifax BT 25 Month MasterCard

0% for 25 months (2.5% fee) Representative 18.9% APR (variable) Apply
Representative example: assumed borrowing of £1,200, representative 18.9% APR (variable). Purchase rate 19.0% PA (variable).
W3C  Thank you for using CGWEBLIV4