London 2012 Olympics: Games organisers claim ticket sales have 'hit the roof'

"Every day is different, but also in the last week we have been getting three or four times the applications above and beyond what was coming in for the previous five weeks - and the sky's the limit based on the pattern that I am seeing at the moment."

There are 650 sessions across 26 sports and 17 days to choose from and people will be limited to a maximum of 20 events each.

The most popular events, including the men's 100 metres final, have a limit of four tickets per person.

Before sales began on March 15, more than 2.5 million people had signed up to the official website wanting to go to the Games.

This wave of sales, in which sports fans will find out whether or not they have secured tickets by June 24, is "the best chance probably by a long long way to get the tickets that you actually want," Deighton said.

"Anyone who wants to get to the Games should absolutely get their applications done - there is no doubt about that.

"There will be a number of tickets left over. It was always the plan.

"If you are clear about what kind of tickets you desire, apply for them now. You will only regret it if you do not get around to it, and it will be much more difficult if you leave it."

Prices range from £20 to £2,012.

They include paying up to £2,012 for the opening ceremony, up to £725 for the showpiece 100m athletics final and between £50 and £325 for the track cycling finals.

A seat at the opening ceremony is on many people's wishlist, buying patterns so far suggest. Many fans are also making multiple bids for seats at different events.

"Taking the £20.12p tickets for the opening ceremony, I think we can confidently predict that there will be more orders than availability," according to Deighton.

Orders have been "pretty well-spread" across the sports, he said, adding: "I think that a lot of people are ordering quite a number of tickets. Families seem to be ordering so they can go together."

A random automated ballot will kick in for over-subscribed events.

The process of matching the demand and the different-priced tickets with the sessions available will then start.

Applications will be processed between May 2011 and June 2011.

Notifications, by email or letter, for those who have been successful, will be sent in June 2011.

London 2012 needs to get 25 per cent of its revenue from ticket sales. It is a vital part of raising £2 billion from the private sector to stage the Games.

Applications for Paralympic Games tickets open on September 9 2011.

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BOA drop legal action against 2012 organisers as cash row is settled

The 'embarrassing' cash dispute that was threatening to overshadow the London 2012 Olympics has been resolved.

The British Olympic Association (BOA) have abandoned legal action against London 2012 organisers after being forced to accept defeat over the major issue of whether the cost of staging the Paralympics should be taken into account in calculating any surplus of the Games.

In return, as part of the settlement agreement signed by both parties, and the Games organising committee LOCOG will waive rights to royalties on two items of Team GB merchandise and will allow the BOA to buy extra Olympic Games tickets.

The dispute has called into question the handling of the situation by BOA chairman Colin Moynihan and chief executive Andy Hunt, who had been suspended from the London 2012 board after rejecting an IOC ruling and taking the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton said: 'I am glad this issue has been put behind us and we can all get on with delivering Games next year that will make this country proud. I would like to thank Andy (Hunt) and his team for creating the right environment for us to reach this settlement.'

The settlement confirms all previous financial arrangements between the two organisations with the only new details relating to the waiving of royalties and the extra tickets, which will be used by the BOA as part of their Team 2012 appeal and for a number of former athletes who have competed at the Olympics.

London 2012 will also 'pro-actively support' the BOA's efforts to secure sponsors and other commercial partners for the 2013-2016 period.

A statement said the agreement has been welcomed by the IOC and 'also brings to an end the request for arbitration that had been filed by the BOA with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to resolve a contractual dispute with LOCOG'.

Hunt added: 'We appreciate the spirit of partnership and cooperation that LOCOG brought to our discussions. With this matter now resolved, the BOA will be able to keep its attention focused entirely on our preparations to support Team GB at the Games.'

London 2012's board have agreed 'in principle' to lift the suspension against Moynihan and Hunt and will formally decide to do so before the next board meeting in May.

The BOA first suspended their legal action against London 2012 two weeks ago when fresh talks were opened.

It followed a period where they had come under intense pressure from the IOC and the Government over their stance.

Olympics minister Hugh Robertson called the dispute 'an embarrassment' and IOC president Jacques Rogge was understood to be furious that the BOA went ahead with a court submission after the international body had ruled against them.

The row centred on the money the BOA wanted from London 2012. They are due 20 per cent of any surplus after the Games but have claimed the cost of staging the Paralympics should not be taken into account when calculating that surplus.

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