THE stopwatch is ticking for sports fans to lodge their bid for Glasgow 2014 tickets, with hopefuls having until 6pm tonight to make an application.

Organisers of the Commonwealth Games are expecting extremely high levels of traffic on their website today as people rush to make a last-minute attempt to secure seats at the 11-day sporting extravaganza, which begins on July 23 next year.

Hopefuls have the best chance of securing a place at rugby sevens, hockey and badminton.

However, the most ­popular events - including athletics, gymnastics, track cycling, mountain biking, aquatics and triathlon - will go to a random ballot to determine who will receive tickets.

Prices start at £15 and more than two-thirds of tickets cost £25 or less.

The opening and closing ceremonies are popular, and organisers say the best chance of securing tickets for those events is in the more expensive price categories.