A football fan has ignited a heated debate after reselling a World Cup ticket he purchased from a friend at face value for a hefty profit, leaving thousands divided over the ethics of the transaction. The man, who remains anonymous, explained on Reddit that his friend had secured the ticket through the World Cup ballot and sold it to him for less than $250 (£185), believing he would appreciate the experience more. However, instead of attending the match, the man decided to sell the ticket for $3,000 (£2,240) and watch the game from home.
Friend feels betrayed after favour turns sour
The decision did not sit well with his friend, who felt betrayed after doing him a favour. The friend believes he should have been offered the ticket back before it was resold. Seeking opinions online, the man asked on Reddit: '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)?' He added: 'My friend called me out for it "jokingly" but I could tell he was a bit butthurt. I realised I couldn't make the game, so I decided to resell my ticket. Should I have sold it back to him and gotten what I paid for it back? Or is it my ticket after all to do what I want with?'
Online community sides with friend
While many agreed he was technically free to do whatever he wanted with the ticket, the overwhelming majority sided with his friend, arguing he had taken advantage of his generosity. One user said: '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.'
Arguments for fairness and friendship
A third commented: 'Give it back. Or at least check in with the friend who went through the effort of entering the lottery first.' One more 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 asshole move.'
