UK expat in UAE wins 24K gold bar after nearly missing Big Ticket call

Nicholas Luden, a UK expat who has called the UAE home for the past seven years, got an early Christmas gift he wasn’t expecting – a 250g 24K gold bar from the Big Ticket Series 280 weekly e-draw.

The only hiccup? A little phone drama.
Show host Richard tried to reach Nicholas twice on his UAE number, but the line kept playing hard to get. Just as Richard was about to move on to the next winner, Nicholas finally called back.

“Sorry, I have a missed call from this number,” he said, still half-asleep in the UK where he was visiting family. “It’s still early in the morning. I just got up.”
But the moment Richard mentioned Big Ticket prize, Nicholas’ voice lit up.

“Oh! Excellent, I didn’t know that. Amazing,” he said, still trying to wake up properly. Then came the big reveal – his ticket number 156157 had won the glittering 24K gold bar.

“Oh! My God. No way,” Nicholas exclaimed, his excitement palpable.
“I am so happy. Thank you so much for that. I never won anything.”

Nicholas revealed he’s been trying his luck for years.
“I buy a ticket every time I travel. Whenever I’m at the airport, it’s like a little routine now.”

So how will he spend his unexpected windfall?
“I think I am going to have a nice Christmas holiday with my family to start with. It does feel like Christmas has come early with your phone call,” he chuckled.