Updated May 23, 2017 08:18:42

Photo: With ticket requests closed, Commonwealth Games fans are now awaiting the results of the ballot. (ABC Gold Coast: Damien Larkins)

More than 1.2 million people have put their names in the initial ballot for tickets to the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

Organisers were swamped with 35,000 requests for tickets in the last hour as the bidding process ended at midnight on Monday

The opening ceremony, swimming, rugby sevens and netball were among the most popular events.

Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) chairman Peter Beattie said numbers were higher than they had hoped.

"We're really delighted," Peter Beattie said.

"We're ecstatic and I want to thank people for it," he said.

While organisers are not releasing exact figures, they said most requests came from the Gold Coast.

The second-most number of bids came from Brisbane, with the Sunshine Coast third.

"The Gold Coast has embraced these games ... without the Gold Coast backing them, they can't be a success," Mr Beattie said.

The ticket bids will now go into a computer-generated ballot system.

"The good news is this that if people did miss out or forgot to apply ... they still can have an opportunity," Mr Beattie said.

"Because there will be tickets left over because while we're selling 1.2 million and we've got 1.2 million requests, a lot of those will be double ups."

Queensland Commonwealth Games Minister Kate Jones said the enthusiasm for tickets points to a successful Games.

"With ten months still to go, this early excitement sends a message to the world the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games will be the best ever," she said in a statement.

Ticket allocations will be announced in June, with the remaining tickets to go on sale in July.

The Games begin on April 4, 2018.

Topics: commonwealth-games, events, southport-4215

First posted May 23, 2017 08:11:14