Michael Jackson fans who beat the odds have begun to celebrate winning coveted tickets to the pop star's memorial service at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles.

More than 1.6 million fans registered online for free in the random drawing of only 8,750 names.

Each person selected was to receive two tickets to Tuesday's memorial.

The odds of getting a ticket were about 1 in 183.

"I'm in shock that it has happened," said Deka Motanya, 27, of San Francisco. "It's surreal."

She received an email message notifying her: "Congratulations, your application was successful." She immediately Twittered: "OMG OMG OMG OMG i got tickets to the michael jackson memorial service!!!"

The tickets will admit 11,000 people to the Staples Centre plus 6,500 in the Nokia Theatre overflow section next door. The streets around the Staples Centre will be closed to prevent those without tickets from trying to attend, police said.

Assistant Police Chief Jim McDonnell warned the ticketless to stay away: "You'll be standing in the hot sun on a city street with a lot of other people ... but not within eyeshot of Staples."

The ceremony will not be shown on Staples' giant outdoor TV screen and there will be no funeral procession through the city. No details were available about the actual memorial events.

Jackson's family was planning a private ceremony at the Forest Lawn cemetery in the Hollywood Hills, Mr McDonnell said.