Patent ID: 7284691

Claim:
A method for issuing tickets, the method comprising: selecting an inactive ticket that includes an identifier, wherein the ticket is usable when activated to gain admittance into a venue for which payment is required for admittance; providing payment for the ticket at a site other than the venue; entering the identifier and a payment amount into a payment processing device; transmitting the identifier to a first computer system having a record of the identifier and a status of the ticket; changing the status of the ticket to an active status in the first computer system; transmitting information relating to the status of the ticket to a second computer system that is remotely located from the first computer system; entering the identifier into a redemption processing device; and transmitting the identifier to the second computer system to verify that the ticket is active; and wherein the second computer system is associated with an owner of the venue and the first computer system is operated by an independent payment processor.