Excel Prizes needed a platform capable of handling high-traffic ticket sales, automated prize draws and secure payment processing. All managed through a custom-built owner backend.
The Challenge
Running a live competition platform is not a problem you can solve with off-the-shelf software. Every element including ticket sales, payment processing, draw logic and winner selection had to be reliable, fair and able to handle sudden bursts of high traffic without failure.
Traffic spikes
Ticket drops attract large volumes of concurrent users in a very short window. The platform had to handle sudden spikes without slowing down or going offline.
Fair, automated draws
The draw process needed to be genuinely random, automated and auditable. Removing any manual element and ensuring trust with customers.
Secure payment handling
Taking payments for competition entries required a fully secure, reliable gateway integration with robust error handling to prevent failed transactions during high-demand periods.
Owner management
The client needed to be able to create, manage and close competitions, view entries and trigger draws from a dedicated admin backend without relying on a developer.
The Transformation
How we upgraded their business.
The Starting Point
- No platform capable of handling competition logic at scale
- Manual processes for draws and winner selection
- No secure, integrated payment flow
- No admin backend for managing competitions
What We Built
- Custom PHP Platform
A bespoke application engineered from the ground up around the specific logic of a competition business.
- Automated Draw Engine
A custom-built random winner selection system that triggers automatically when a draw closes.
- Secure Payment Gateway
Fully integrated payment processing built to handle high-volume, simultaneous ticket purchases.
- Custom Admin Backend
A dedicated owner interface for creating and managing competitions, reviewing entries and triggering draws.
Our Solution
We built the entire platform from scratch using custom PHP, engineered specifically around the requirements of a live competition business. The result is a system where ticket purchases, payment processing, draw logic and winner selection all work together as a single connected operation, with a custom admin backend giving the client full control.
Under the Hood
Language
Custom PHP
Payments
Secure payment gateway integration
Draw Engine
Automated random winner selection
Admin
Custom owner and admin backend
Infrastructure
High-availability hosting built for traffic spikes
From limitation to scalability
Before
After
No scalable competition platform
Custom PHP platform built for the business
Manual draw and winner selection
Automated, auditable draw engine
No integrated payment flow
Secure gateway handling simultaneous purchases
No management tools
Dedicated admin backend for full control
Project Overview
The Result
Excel Prizes now runs entirely on a platform built for its specific business model. Competitions go live, ticket sales open, draws execute automatically and winners are selected without any manual intervention. All managed by the client through their own admin backend.
What Webhound Delivered
Custom Admin Systems
A dedicated backend giving the owner full control over competitions and draws.
ExploreVisual Deep Dive
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