Here’s the scoop on the free tickets to see the The Oprah Winfrey Show live.

Oprah tapes her show in downtown Chicago at Harpo Studios. Given the phenomenal success of the show, demand for tickets far exceeds supply. The cold hard truth is the odds are against you. According to a Harpo Productions spokeswoman, only 325 people get to watch each taping. Compare that to the millions of television viewers who watch the show each day and you can see why you’re going to need a whole batch of persistence if you want to fill one of those seats.

Rest assured it is possible, but not without dedication, a little luck, and the right information. I can help you with the last one, but you’re on your own for the first two!

Are you ready to read some of the right information?

First, you don’t actually receive hard tickets; instead, your name will be added to a reservation list. So, don’t ever fork over cash to a “ticket broker” for tickets to The Oprah Winfrey Show. If you name isn’t on the list, you won’t get inside the studio. Plain and simple.

Here are a few other things you need to know:

DRESS CODE
Avoid beige or while clothing if possible as these colors can be too reflective for the studio lights. While they probably won’t prevent you from entering, you will most certainly be seated in a dark corner away from the stage.

CAMERAS/RECORDERS
No cameras, recorders, cell phones, pagers, etc. will be allowed in the studio. If you bring these or any similar items, they will be held and returned to you upon leaving the studio.

SECURITY CHECK
Everyone attending the show must go through a security check before gaining access to the studio. Please downsize any purses or bags you are bringing with you. You are responsible for the actions of the people in your party, and all guests in your party must be known to you.

NO GIFTS OR OTHER ITEMS
Please do not bring gifts, cards, letters, etc. for Oprah. They will not be accepted at audience check-in, and baggage-check facilities are not available.

SHOW TOPICS
Due to the high demand for tickets, you cannot request reservations by show topic.

RESERVATION NAME CHANGE
There are two ways to change the name on your reservation.
1. If you only need to change one name in your party, you can do so at Harpo Studios on the day of your taping (provided the replacement person adheres to all requirements).
2. If you want to change more than one name on your reservation, you must call the Audience Department prior to the date of taping and speak with a member of the staff. Please call (312) 633-0808.

HARPO STUDIOS ADDRESS
1058 West Washington, Chicago, IL

Harpo Studios is located in the near west side of Chicago, ten minutes west of the loop. It is just west of I 90/94 and north of I 290

Entrance – The audience enters at 1058 West Washington at the corner of Carpenter and Washington streets.

Parking – Street parking and commercial lots are within a short distance of the entrance.

CANCELLATION POLICY
Please be aware that reservations are not guaranteed. Unfortunately, shows can cancel or change at any time. If your show should cancel or require a specialized audience, the show will notify you as soon as possible and do their best to reschedule you for another taping without too much inconvenience. If you are visiting from out of town, it may not always be possible to reschedule you into another taping during your visit. You will not be reimbursed for travel expenses due to show cancellations.

Now that you know almost everything there is to know about The Oprah Winfrey Show tickets, you might be curious about one final thing. How do you get reservations????? Well, I’m glad you asked.

Audience reservations are almost always made by phone. To make a reservation, call the audience hotline at (312) 591-9222. If a representative answers, you will find out which days are available. You should be ready to make your selection at that time, so have available dates in mind or be willing to travel to Chicago when necessary.

Since demand far exceeds supply, you will hear a lot of busy phone signals before getting through. In fact, the Audience Department will only answer the number if tickets are available, so random calling probably won’t result in reservations unless you’re the type of person who wins the lottery on a regular basis.

Instead of making random calls to the hotline, watch the Oprah website for updates about reservations. The staff seems to make reservations for block of shows a month in advance, so the site may not be updated for weeks at a time, but when updates appear, you need to be ready to start dialing. You can be sure others vying for tickets will be burning up the phone lines. Bookmark this page and check it at least daily, but more often if possible.

http://www2.oprah.com/tows/program/tows_prog_getticks.jhtmll

Periodically, you may also be able to request last minute reservations via e-mail. Check this page to see if there are any last minute opportunities:

http://www2.oprah.com/tows/program/tows_prog_getticks_f.jhtml

Actually getting on the reservation list isn’t the most difficult task. As you should be able to see now, the most challenging part of seeing the show live is knowing when to call. Once you can get through to a live person, it’s very easy to get your name on the reservation list.

Would you rather be a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show instead of just participating as an audience member? Do you have a great story that needs to be told? The production staff is always on the lookout for great guests or topics, and they also post a list of topics they're working on which you can find at:

http://www2.oprah.com/tows/intheworks/tows_works_main.jhtmll

If you find a topic that pertains to you or your situation, click on the link and fill out the form. The production staff will contact you if they’re interested in your story.

There is also a link to submit your own show ideas, so why not give it a shot? You won’t know until you try. Get busy typing and instead of watching a show from the audience, you may find yourself on stage talking to Oprah about your life.

Just to recap:

• Audience reservations for The Oprah Winfrey Show are almost always made by phone. The number to call is (312) 591-9222.
• You won’t actually receive tickets; instead, your name will be added to a guest list that the staff will use on the day of taping to make sure you have a reservation.
• The audience reservation hotline will only be answered if there are tickets available, so don’t waste time and effort calling at random times.
• Check the Oprah website regularly to learn when reservations become available.
• Consider submitting your story for a future show and you may end up as a guest instead of a member of the audience! It happens all the time.

Now that you know the basics, I'd like to ask you this question. How serious are you about seeing Oprah live?