Free tickets to the Michael Jackson memorial in Los Angeles are being sold for thousands of 
dollars online.
Some 8,750 names were randomly drawn from an online lottery Sunday and each of those lucky fans has the opportunity to invite a friend with a second ticket.
Selected people are required to pick up their two tickets Monday and organizers will be putting wristbands on those people. Fans must have a wristband and ticket to enter the Staples Center for Tuesday's memorial.
However, those selected can give anyone their second bracelet.
"Theoretically, the second wrist band can be sold," said Staples Center spokesman Michael Roth.
The tickets admit 11,000 people to the Staples Center and another 6,500 to the Nokia Theater overflow section next door. Wristbands that are ripped or tampered with will be voided.
The event, starting at 10 a.m. PT, will be streamed online and also shown on at least five networks.
'Locked down and iron tight'
The winners of the lottery say they couldn't believe it when they got the confirmation emails late Sunday.
"It's Michael Jackson, one of the greatest musical stars of all time,' said computer science student David Gobaud, 25, from San Francisco.
Many are flying in for the memorial including Zach Moss, a Chicago DJ.
"You can play two, three Michael Jackson songs back to back, people are going to have this huge jubilation celebration," noted the 21-year-old fan.
L.A. councillor Dennis Zine, a former police officer, told CBC Newsworld that the city is well-prepared for the onslaught of grieving fans.
"We're anticipating thousands will show. This is unprecedented ... we have never seen anything like this before," said Zine.
"We are going to have this locked down and iron tight with additional personnel," said Zine, who indicated 10,000 officers will be assigned to the event in some way.
The cost, according to the councillor, is hitting $2 million US — something that worries city officials. Los Angeles is already millions in debt.
"We could deplete the overtime budget for the entire year with this."
