Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani expats in UAE win Big Ticket on Eid Al Adha

Dubai: A Pakistani site supervisor who has lived in Sharjah for 30 years, a Bangladeshi construction worker pooling tickets with friends, and an Indian expat who got the news while on holiday back home were among four winners of Dh25,000 each in Big Ticket's third weekly e-draw of May 2026, held on Eid Al Adha.

A Filipino national based in Qatar rounded out the quartet of winners, each holding a ticket purchased online for draw number 287.

Three decades of trying

For Muhammad AnwarUlHaq, a 48-year-old site supervisor from Pakistan who has made Sharjah his home for the past 30 years, the win was a long time coming. He had been buying Big Ticket entries every month for two decades, always as part of a group of 10 colleagues from his workplace, holding firm to the belief that persistence would eventually pay off.

When the winning call finally came, his first word was simple and heartfelt: "Alhamdulillah."

Now celebrating the milestone with his family in the UAE, he is taking his time to decide what to do with the prize. One thing, however, is certain: he is not stopping.

"I will continue purchasing Big Ticket. Thank you, Big Ticket," he said, adding an encouraging word for others still waiting for their moment: "Everyone should give it a chance. Try for your future."

Hope across borders

Mohon Miah, a 29-year-old construction worker from Bangladesh, has been living in the UAE for three years, away from his family who remain back home. He has been buying tickets as part of a group of 10 friends, each of them holding on to the shared hope that their turn would come.

When the winning call arrived, the moment felt almost unreal. Coming from a hardworking background, the win marks what he sees as an important turning point which he is still processing. His focus, he says, remains on bettering his circumstances and supporting his family back home.

Like the Pakistani winner, he has no intention of stopping. He confirmed he will keep buying Big Ticket, staying true to his belief that consistency is key.

Holiday surprise

Areepurath Shanavas Abdulrahiman, an Indian expat residing in the UAE, found out he had won while he was on vacation in India, making an already memorable trip even more so. He had purchased ticket number 287-233906 online and is among the growing number of long-term UAE residents whose luck has turned with Big Ticket.

Qatar winner

Completing the four-winner lineup is Joel Batao, a Filipino national based in Qatar, who purchased ticket number 287-389063 online. Big Ticket is still in the process of connecting with Joel, but his win adds to a growing list of participants whose lives have been touched by the draw's promise of possibility.