public function getParticipants($eventid)
 {
     $participant = Participant::where('eventid', $eventid)->get();
     if ($participant == null) {
         $array = array('success' => false, 'message' => 'No participants found');
         return json_encode($array);
     }
     $array = array('success' => true, 'participant' => $participant);
     return json_encode($array);
 }
 public function lookupWinner($itemid)
 {
     $winner = Winner::where('itemid', $itemid)->first();
     if ($winner != null) {
         $luckyWinner = Participant::where('id', $winner->participantid)->first();
         $array = array('success' => true, 'winner' => $luckyWinner);
         return json_encode($array);
     } else {
         $array = array('success' => false, 'message' => "NO WINNER CHOSEN");
         return json_encode($array);
     }
 }
     //get currently logged on host//
     $userid = $resourceServer->getAccessToken()->getSession()->getOwnerId();
     //verify that current host owns the event of the item//
     if ($event->verifyHost($item->eventid, $userid)) {
         //pick a random ticket//
         if (sizeof($tickets) > 0) {
             $numTix = sizeof($tickets);
             $luckyNum = mt_rand(0, $numTix);
             $ticket = $tickets[$luckyNum];
             //more messy json conversions...//
             $lucky = json_decode($winner->pickWinner($itemid, $ticket['participantid']));
             $luckyWinner = $lucky->winner;
             //verify that the item has not been won//
             if ($luckyWinner != "Winner already chosen") {
                 //get the winner's personal info to pass back with the winning ticket info//
                 $luckyParticipant = Participant::where('id', $luckyWinner->participantid)->first();
                 $array = array('success' => true, 'ticket' => $ticket, 'participant' => $luckyParticipant);
                 echo json_encode($array);
             } else {
                 $array = array('success' => false, 'message' => "Winner already chosen");
                 echo json_encode($array);
             }
         } else {
             $array = array('success' => false, 'message' => "NO TICKETS PURCHASED!!");
             echo json_encode($array);
         }
     } else {
         $array = array('success' => false, 'message' => "WRONG HOST");
         echo json_encode($array);
     }
 } else {