yOOnew.com just introduced World Series ticket futures on their site.  They were nice enough to call and give me the grand tour.  The whole idea, for example, is that you can buy a contract for Minnesota Twins World Series tickets cheaply now, and if they surprise fans and make it, you get to go to the game at a reduced cost.  Since they are futures contracts, you can also trade them.  So if you buy the Pirates now and they get off to a great start, you might be able to sell the contract for a profit at the end of April.
Right now, you can bid at three levels.  Tickets are available for each of the first four games of the series, split out by AL and NL.  You can buy ticket futures for AL game one, for example.  No matter who makes it from the American League, you get to go to the first game at their park.  Or, if you want to see a specific team, you can buy a contract for that team making it.  Or, if you want to see a specific matchup, you could buy a future on the Cubs playing the Indians.  It’s pretty neat, and serves all kinds of interests.  For me, I’m trying to buy Tampa Bay futures, since they’re cheap right now (no one has put in an ask yet).  If the Rays should catch fire, I’ll get to be at the first World Series game in Tampa for airfare!  Traders get a chance to make a profit, and ticket resellers get to hedge their portfolios.
I can’t wait for yOOnew to expand to regular season tickets for baseball.  This is something the clubs should be doing, and now yOOnew provided them with a market.
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Things like this make me wonder why gambling is illegal. This is basically gambling, right? I mean, you’re not in any way supporting the Twins by buying the future, right?