Abu Dhabi: An Indian expat from Mumbai won the second time with Abu Dhabi’s Big Ticket and took home Dh100,000 after the weekly e-draw of the third week in September.
Three other Indian expats, all hailing from the state of Kerala, also took home Dh100,000 each last week, the organisers revealed on Thursday. The lucky winners are residents of Sharjah, Ajman, and Dubai.
Mohammad Azharul
A 54-year-old project manager from Mumbai, Mohammad lives in Sharjah. He has been a loyal customer of Big Ticket since 2009. The sole winner of Dh100,000 said, “I am very happy and lucky. This is my second time winning with Big Ticket; in 2017, I won Dh40,000, and this time I won Dh100,000 and one day, I will win the grand prize.”
When asked about his plans, he said, “I will invest in my daughter’s higher education. She is studying computer science, and I was planning to get a loan so I could afford her education. But now, after I won, I don’t need to.”
Ajay Vijayan
A 41-year-old father of 2 children, aged 11 and 3, from Kerala, lives in Dubai after he moved to the UAE in 2008, and he works in the IT sector. Ajay has been purchasing Big Ticket for the past eight years with his three friends. “It became a ritual for us to buy Big Ticket. I didn’t expect to win the e-draw prize. After I received the winning call, I called my parents and wife who are in India to tell them the news. They were all happy. I don’t have a specific plan yet, but I will use this money to make an investment for my children’s future.”
“Keep on trying, and one day you will win. If I didn’t keep on trying, I would not have won this prize,” Ajay said in a message to those who try their luck.
Mujeeb Pakyara
A cafeteria waiter, 33 years old and originally from Kerala, Mujeeb lives in Sharjah. He has been purchasing Big Ticket for two years along with seven of his roommates. When he received the winning call, Mujeeb was very happy and in shock. “I still can’t believe it. I am so happy. This prize came at the right time. My wife is pregnant, and she is at the hospital. I think this is the luck of my unborn son, who will arrive in this world soon. I will share my prize with my roommates and use my portion to clear my loan.”
Firose Kunjumon
A 40-year-old father of children aged one, five and seven from Kerala, Firose lives in Ajman, where he works as a driver. He has been purchasing Big Ticket for the past 10 years without missing a month. Firose is sharing his prize with 20 of his friends. When asked about his plans, the lucky winner said, “I will share my prize with my friends, and I will send my cash portion to India. We will keep on buying Big Ticket, and one day we will win the grand prize.”
Customers of Big Ticket who purchase raffle tickets will be automatically entered into one of the weekly electronic draws that will see four winners walk away with Dh100,000 every week. Anyone who purchases tickets during the promotion dates will also stand the chance to win the Dh15 million grand prize on October 3.
Fans of Big Ticket have until September 30 to make their purchases online or by visiting the in-store counters at Abu Dhabi International Airport and Al Ain International Airport and if they buy two tickets, they will receive two for free.
