Police warned Kings fans Wednesday that some fake tickets to Thursday's Staples Center party were making the rounds. No tickets are needed for the parade, however.

"This is the best thing ever," said long-suffering Kings fan Ralph Rodriguez, one of the lucky ones.

Live Video: Watch live coverage of the parade Thursday on NBCLA.com

Rodriguez and his co-workers ran down from their offices at AEG to claim celebration tickets reserved for employees. Right place, right time.

"I'm speechless," he said, clutching the free -- to him, priceless -- tickets.

But not all ecstatic Kings fans were so lucky.

Longtime Kings fan Edward de Leon will have to gaze upon the Stanley Cup from the parade route.

"We were hoping to get tickets," he said. "My wife came with me to get tickets. Unfortunately, they're all gone."

The tickets were free and distributed to the public Tuesday night, but some of those who got their hands on them were trying to make a quick buck by Wednesday.

Tickets starting popping up on websites with some holders asking up to $500 on eBay.

Officials warned that some of the tickets might not be the real deal.

"You better know what you are paying for because good chance you'll get ripped off," said LAPD Lt. Paul Vernon.

"In the age of desktop publishing and at home graphics and so on, these tickets can be easily faked," he added.

Amid the celebration, police will be looking for ticket thieves. But they admit, the buyer needs to beware. They advise fans, as desparate as they may feel, not to buy tickets online or on the street.

"For a moment of elation that you think you are going to get in and see this rally, when you get to the turnstile and get turned away you're going to turn back to yourself and say, 'Darn, I wish I didn't do that,'" Vernon said.

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