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    1. Life

    What would you sacrifice for a seat at the London Olympics?

    Nearly half of all Britons admit that they'd sell their belongings on eBay to secure funds to pay for a dream ticket to the Olympics. How far would you go?

    By Hannah Thomas
    Published 3 March 2011 In Features

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    Nearly half of all Britons admit that they'd sell their belongings on eBay to secure funds to pay for a dream ticket to the Olympics. How far would you go?

    With just a few days until the official ballot opens, Britons are starting to calculate the costs of attending the London 2012 games with 42 per cent saying they would sell their belongings to bag a ticket.

    The poll by shopping website VoucherCodes.co.uk reveals more than one in ten men are planning on delving in to their wedding budgets to pay for a coveted ticket, whilst 21% of women are considering sacrificing their summer holiday budgets.

    ‘Now the Olympic timetable and ticket prices have been released, the excitement around London 2012 is building to fever pitch,’ says VoucherCodes.co.uk co-founder Duncan Jennings. ‘With higher prices for the most popular events, people are already thinking about what they will have to give up in order to make their dreams a reality.’

    Out of the 3,000 surveyed, Usain Bolt’s 100m topped Britain’s five must-sees, closely followed by women's swimming and diving.

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    This, however, is nothing compared to the demand for tickets to the opening ceremony, with prices starting from £20.12 and going up to a whopping £2,012 for the best seats in the Olympic stadium.

    One in ten London homeowners are even planning to sub-let their homes during the Olympics, taking full advantage of the proximity of their properties to the games.

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    But while excitement is taking over, Mr Jennings warns: ‘While the Olympics are a dream ticket, it’s important to shop smart when securing tickets and be aware of the potential pitfalls of subscribing for more tickets than you can afford.’

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    Hannah Thomas
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