Where "Tickets on Yourself" Comes From
The earliest recorded use traces to a 1903 New Zealand newspaper.
The phrase turns up repeatedly in Australian novels through the 20th century, including Kylie Tennant's 1941 "Battlers."
“He's only been the team leader a week and already he's got tickets on himself.”
“Don't get tickets on yourself just because you won one round of trivia.”
Ever since the promotion he's had tickets on himself.
How Aussies Actually Use It
Used as a pointed but often affectionate dig at someone who's a bit up themselves.
This is a gentle-to-sharp put-down, depending on the voice. Said with a grin about a friend who has just bought a new car, it's teasing. Said flatly about a colleague who talks down to everyone, it's a real criticism. It is almost always used about someone who isn't in the room, or as a light jab to their face when you know them well.
The grammar is worth noting: people say 'has tickets on himself', 'has tickets on herself', or 'has tickets on themselves', and 'got' often slips in, as in 'she's got tickets on herself'. It's closer in feel to 'up yourself' or 'full of yourself' than to a formal word like 'arrogant'. A learner tip: use it about someone's attitude rather than their achievements. Being good at something isn't the point; acting as though it makes you special is.
See also: Tall poppy (the flip side: cutting successful people down), Flash as a Rat with a Gold Tooth (another way of calling out showing off), Bogan (another Australian label for a type of person).
Works well paired with tall poppy syndrome — Australians are quick to call out anyone seen as having "tickets on themselves."
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