Cubs announce playoff ticket lottery

If you want Cubs playoff tickets, then get in line (online).

Starting today at 9 a.m., and until noon on Sept. 21, fans can register online at cubs.com/postseason for a drawing to win a chance to get single-game tickets to a possible (but very unlikely) Cubs wild-card game and (extremely likely) National League Division Series games.

The National League wild-card game is scheduled for Oct. 5. If the Cubs hold on to win the NL Central, they will host Games 1 and 2 of the NLDS on Oct. 7 and 8. Game 5, if necessary, would be Oct. 13 at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs have a 15 1/2-game lead over the Cardinals in the Central, with 24 games left in the season. The team's magic number is 10, which is the combination of Cubs wins and Cardinals losses to clinch the division.

Fans who register will be notified via email if they have been selected for a chance to get tickets. Those chosen will have a one-time chance to buy a maximum of four tickets to that potential wild-card game or NLDS games at Wrigley Field, pending availability.

Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Being selected in a drawing does not guarantee the opportunity to purchase tickets to a postseason game, the Cubs said in the announcement.

“Demand will certainly exceed the limited number of tickets we have available for postseason play at Wrigley Field,” Cubs senior vice president of sales and marketing Colin Faulkner said in a statement. "We encourage fans to register early and purchase quickly if their name is selected.”

Faulkner said that last season, when the Cubs conducted a similar postseason ticket lottery, nearly 1.2 million people registered.

All registered fans not selected for early postseason contests will remain eligible if the Cubs advance to the NLCS or the World Series. Fans may only buy tickets once through this process during the postseason.