After 30 years in Dubai, Indian expat wins Big Ticket – without planning to buy it

After 15 years of persistence, an Indian expat in Dubai has finally struck gold with Big Ticket proving that patience really does pay off.
Ritesh Dhanak, a 52-year-old computer teacher from Gujarat, has been living in Dubai with his family for three decades. And for the past 15 years, he has regularly tried his luck with Big Ticket, usually pooling in with friends. This time was no different – for the result: he won Dh100,000 in the weekly e-draw.

Didn’t plan to buy it

Interestingly, Ritesh hadn’t even planned to buy a ticket. A promotional call about Big Ticket’s ‘buy 2, get 3’ offer changed his mind, prompting him to join two friends for the purchase. Days later, the call he least expected came through.

“At first, I thought the winning call was a scam,” Ritesh said.

“But once I realised it was real, I felt like my prayers had been answered.”

Now celebrating his first-ever Big Ticket win, Ritesh plans to use his share for a family holiday and to support his daughter’s graduation.

No plans to stop

Fresh from the unexpected windfall, Ritesh said he will continue buying tickets and urges others to stay hopeful.
“Never give up, always keep trying,” he said, praising Big Ticket for its transparency and fairness.