Regardless of todays snafus you have a better chance at the best tickets being online. In person is even a bigger hassle. Online brings its own problems but in person its an even bigger crapshoot.
The thing I hate about in person is the fucking waiting for the idiot behind the counter to type.
Another problem is the idiot buyer, TM guy brings up two seats he doesnt want, search again, most places limit searches to 2 but by that time you're fighting with all the people on the phones and the net.
It depends on where you live as well, when I lived in the Poconos only one music store in the whole county did Ticketmaster and I got front row seats for the show I wanted because I was the first and only person on line that day.
If you live in a big city though, in person sales are probably the worst, followed by the phone.