Michael Jackson fans began to celebrate after beating the odds to win coveted tickets to the pop star's memorial service on Tuesday at Staples Center in Los Angeles. More than 1.6 million fans registered online for free in the random drawing of only 8,750 names. The odds of getting a ticket were about 1 in 183. “I'm in shock that it has happened,” said Deka Motanya, 27, of San Francisco. “It's surreal.” She received an e-mail message at 4:35 P.M. Sunday notifying her, “Congratulations, your application was successful.” She immediately Twittered: “OMG OMG OMG OMG i got tickets to the michael jackson memorial service!!!” David Gobaud, 25, who studies computer science at Stanford University, said he didn't believe his e-mail was real at first. “It's Michael Jackson, one of the greatest musical stars of all time,” he said. Another winner was Zach Moss, a 21-year-old Chicagoan working for the summer as a DJ in Las Vegas. He said clubgoers have responded strongly to Jackson's music since his death. “You can play two, three Michael Jackson songs back to back and people are going to have this huge jubilation celebration,” he said. “Everyone shouts, ‘MJ!' It's extremely powerful.” The tickets will admit 11,000 people to the Staples Center plus 6,500 in the Nokia Theater overflow section next door. The streets around Staples Center will be closed to prevent those without tickets from trying to attend, police said Sunday. Assistant Police Chief Jim McDonnell warned the ticketless to stay away: “You'll be standing in the hot sun on a city street with a lot of other people ... but not within eyeshot of Staples.” The ceremony will not be shown on Staples' giant outdoor TV screen and there will be no funeral procession through the city. No details were available about the actual memorial events. Ticket winners said they received a unique code and instructions to pick up their tickets Monday at Dodger Stadium. When they pick up their tickets, a wristband will be placed on each person's wrist. Organizers will check IDs to make sure those picking up wristbands are the same people who originally applied online, said Staples Center spokesman Michael Roth. Fans must have both the ticket and the wristband to enter Staples Center on Tuesday. Wristbands that have been ripped, taped or tampered with will be voided. But winners were permitted to give anyone their second bracelet, so “theoretically, the second wrist band can be sold,” Roth said. The memorial service will be broadcast live on five television networks.
