Tickets to All Blacks vs Lions tests almost sold out

The three All Blacks test matches against the British and Irish Lions rugby teams are nearly sold out.

The public ballot for tickets is continuing with fewer than 1000 tickets to the three tests left, said Rugby Union deputy chief executive Steve Tew.

The computer ballot is now selling tickets for the Maori match and provincial games in the DHL Lions Series.

About 95,000 people have entered the ballot - the only way to buy tickets for the games. Fans can request up to two tickets for test matches and up to four tickets to the non-test games.

Rugby community people and residents of provincial unions hosting matches receive extra weighting in the ballot. Those who entered have requested a total of 750,000 tickets, but less than a quarter of the orders can be filled, because just 160,000 tickets are available. A total of 52,000 seats have so far been sold.

The process is expected to be completed by late next month.

Ballot winners and losers will be notified and have 48 hours to confirm they will buy the tickets they ordered.

Tickets will not come cheap - entry to even the provincial games costs up to $100.

Mr Tew said 92 per cent of the people called by the ballot centre had taken up the offer of tickets.

About 30 per cent of tickets to non- test matches were sold.

The only guaranteed way to get a ticket for the series is to buy a hospitality package.