How Automatic Draws work
Our system ensures a fair and random selection process to choose a single winner for each lottery. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how it works:
Step 1: Gather Participants
We start by collecting all eligible participants who have entered the lottery. This list contains unique entries for the draw, ensuring each participant has an equal chance of winning.
Step 2: Use a Random Number Generator
To select the winner, we use a well-known PHP function, mt_rand()
. This function generates a random number between two specified values:
- The smallest number is 1.
- The largest number is the total number of participants minus one (to account for zero-based indexing).
For example, if there are 10 participants, mt_rand(1, 10)
generates a random number between 1 and 10.
Step 3: Select the Winner
The random number generated by mt_rand()
corresponds the ticket number in the participant list. The participant associated to that ticket number is selected as the winner. This ensures the process is unbiased and purely based on chance.
Step 4: Display the Winner
Once the winner is selected, their details are processed, displayed on the competition page automatically.
How Randomness is Ensured
- Use of
mt_rand
: Themt_rand()
function is a reliable method for generating random numbers, commonly used in programming for fair draws. - Unpredictable Inputs: The randomness of the process is further enhanced by the way the participant list is dynamically generated based on the entries for each competition.
Example Scenario
Participants: Alice, Bob, Carol, Dave, Eve
Total Participants: 5
mt_rand(1, 5)
generates the number2
.- The participant with ticket number
2
in the list is Carol. - Carol is declared the winner and notified of her prize.
Summary
The process to select a winner involves:
- Gathering all participants ticket numbers.
- Using
mt_rand()
to generate a random number based on the participant list. - Picking the participant whos ticket number has been selected as the winner.
- Notifying the winner of their success.
This step-by-step approach ensures fairness and transparency in every draw.