A man has ignited a heated debate after reselling a World Cup ticket he had purchased from a friend at face value for a substantial profit. The ticket, originally obtained by the friend through the official World Cup ballot, was passed on to the man for less than $250 (£185) under the assumption that he would enjoy the match more.
The Resale and the Fallout
Instead of attending the Norway v England quarter-final at the 2026 World Cup, the man decided to sell the ticket for $3,000 (£2,240) and watch the game from home. The friend, feeling betrayed after doing him a favour, believed he should have been given the first option to buy back the ticket before it was sold to a stranger.
Taking to Reddit to seek public opinion, the man asked: "Am I the a**hole if my friend got the World Cup lottery and sold me tickets at face value and I resell them for $3,000 (£2,240)?"
Public Reaction on Reddit
While many conceded that the man was technically within his rights to do as he pleased with the ticket, the vast majority sided with the friend, arguing that he had exploited his generosity. One user commented: "You're the a**hole majorly. He's the one who got the tickets and he was generous enough to transfer them to you at face value. You don't get to make $3,000 on his work and luck. Give him the ticket to resell himself, or send him the profit you made."
Another added: "You either give him the money earned, or at the very least split it in half. Or sell it back to him for $250."
Further Criticism
A third user remarked: "Give it back. Or at least check in with the friend who went through the effort of entering the lottery first." Another said: "You're the a**hole for not offering them back to him at face value first. He did the hard work to get them in the first place and you wouldn't even have had them if he hadn't made it happen."
A final user added: "Sell the ticket back to him for face value or, if he's fine with it, split the money. Otherwise I think you're an ass. The fact he sold it to you at face value shows he's a good friend. Trying to scalp a ticket for 10 times the price is also an a**hole move."
The incident highlights the ethical dilemmas that can arise when personal gain conflicts with friendship and generosity.
