An access control system, comprising: a scanner located adjacent to a venue entrance; a wireless cell phone of a user; a ticket system database; a gate keeper terminal; and a computer system connected to the scanner over a network, the computer system configured to: transmit an electronic ticket with an embedded and coded ticket holder identifier and a unique ticket identifier to the wireless cell phone of the user over the network; receive the coded ticket holder identifier and the unique ticket identifier optically scanned from the electronic ticket from the wireless cell phone via the scanner, wherein the electronic ticket comprises a barcode; access from the ticket system database a ticket holder identifier for the user using the unique ticket identifier as a search key; receive a user identification information scanned from an identification document separate from the electronic ticket; decode the coded ticket holder identifier, the decoded ticket holder identifier being human readable; transmit the decoded ticket holder identifier and the ticket holder identifier from the ticket system database to the gate keeper terminal for display to a gate keeper, wherein the decoded ticket holder identifier is compared with another human readable identification, including the human readable user identification information, provided via the identification document presentable to the gate keeper so that the gate keeper can determine whether the user is to be admitted; compare the decoded ticket holder identifier, the user identification information scanned from the identification document, and the ticket holder identifier from the ticket system database; determine whether the decoded ticket holder identifier, the user identification information scanned from the identification document, and the ticket holder identifier from the ticket system database match; and if there is a match, transmit an admission authorization message to the gate keeper terminal. a scanner located adjacent to a venue entrance; a wireless cell phone of a user; a ticket system database; a gate keeper terminal; and a computer system connected to the scanner over a network, the computer system configured to: transmit an electronic ticket with an embedded and coded ticket holder identifier and a unique ticket identifier to the wireless cell phone of the user over the network; receive the coded ticket holder identifier and the unique ticket identifier optically scanned from the electronic ticket from the wireless cell phone via the scanner, wherein the electronic ticket comprises a barcode; access from the ticket system database a ticket holder identifier for the user using the unique ticket identifier as a search key; receive a user identification information scanned from an identification document separate from the electronic ticket; decode the coded ticket holder identifier, the decoded ticket holder identifier being human readable; transmit the decoded ticket holder identifier and the ticket holder identifier from the ticket system database to the gate keeper terminal for display to a gate keeper, wherein the decoded ticket holder identifier is compared with another human readable identification, including the human readable user identification information, provided via the identification document presentable to the gate keeper so that the gate keeper can determine whether the user is to be admitted; compare the decoded ticket holder identifier, the user identification information scanned from the identification document, and the ticket holder identifier from the ticket system database; determine whether the decoded ticket holder identifier, the user identification information scanned from the identification document, and the ticket holder identifier from the ticket system database match; and if there is a match, transmit an admission authorization message to the gate keeper terminal.