Chances fading to get Phils playoff tix

Phillies fans have until noon today to register for a chance to be offered tickets to the first round of the National League playoffs.

After noon, you can still enter, but you'll be in the running only for the two later rounds - the league championship series and the World Series - if there are games at Citizens Bank Park.

For a chance to win World Series tickets, no matter who plays, enter a couple of mlb.com contests, sponsored by Sears (http://bit.ly/bm7Iha) and State Farm (http://bit.ly/caFFzf).

Registering for the Phillies lottery is free, but the tickets aren't. Nobody wins tickets - they win the right to buy tickets.

Sign up once, and your name will remain in the running for later playoff rounds.

This link should take you to the right spot on phillies.com: http://bit.ly/d5xfV0. (Or go to www.phillies.com, put your cursor over "Tickets," then click "Postseason tickets" on the drop-drown menu.)

"On or about" Friday, winners will be selected for the first round - the division series. Winners will be notified next week by email, but are not obligated to buy.

The deadline for eligibility for the league championship series is Sept. 28, and the drawing will be the following day.

The World Series deadline has yet to be announced.

If a ticket is purchased, but the game isn't played, the price will be refunded.

The number of tickets available per game likely will depend on how many are taken by season-ticket holders and reserved by the club and league.

Before each regular season game, 500 standing room tickets are made available at a walk-up window at the ballpark. No such opportunity will exist during the postseason.