Lagos — About 1.6 million people have registered for a chance at 17,500 free tickets to Tuesday's memorial service for the late American pop star, Michael Jackson, at the Staples Centre and a nearby simulcast, officials at AEG, owner of the arena, have said.

Registration began at 10 a.m. Friday and ended at 6 p.m. Saturday. Those chosen will be notified by e-mail between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. today. Each of the 8,750 people selected will get an exclusive code and instructions on how to obtain two free tickets Monday.AEG officials said 11,000 tickets would be for admission to the Staples Centre service.

The remaining 6,500 will be for the neighbouring Nokia Theatre, where the memorial will be simulcast on big screens.Computer will do the random selection after the entries are "scrubbed" to eliminate duplicates and those submitted by automatic entry systems. Only people with a valid ticket and an unaltered wristband will be allowed in. No official program for the service has been announced.

Madonna paid tribute to Michael Jackson on the opening night of her "Sticky and Sweet" concerts in the same London arena Jackson was due to perform his comeback concerts later this month. After a Jackson impersonator performed many of the late pop music mega-star's signature moves to "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Starting' Something," Madonna told the crowd "Let's give it up for one of the greatest artists the world has ever known. Michael Jackson: Long live the king!"