Dubai Duty Free: Indian expat wins a million dollars
Two Indians, a Pakistani, a Portuguese and a Bahraini national win big at DDF
A 34-year-old Dubai-based Indian woman has won the Dubai jackpot, taking home US$1 million in the latest Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire and Finest Surprise.
The draw was held on Tuesday at the Concourse B, Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport.
Beejal O. takes home $1 million dollars (Dh3.67 million) after her name was picked in the winning series 308. Her winning ticket number is 4111.
Commenting on her win, she said: “I’m truly speechless and beyond grateful. I don’t know how to thank Dubai Duty Free for this big surprise.”
A resident of Dubai for seven years and a regular participant in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire promotion, Beejal’s husband bought the ticket under both their names while travelling to India on July 25.
When DDF asked of her initial plans with her winnings, she said she would put aside some money for charity. Beejal is the 148th Indian national to win in Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire since its inception in 1999.
Following the Millennium Millionaire draw, four more winners were announced in the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Promotion.
Jahanzeb Arif, a Pakistani national won a Nissan GTR Premium Edition (Blue) car in Series 1727 with ticket number 0149 which he bought online. He is uncontactable at this time and will surely be surprised to hear of his win.
Another car winner was Annie Espy Dias, a 40-year-old Portuguese national based in the UK who won a Porsche Cayenne S (Biskay Blue Metallic) in Series 1728 with ticket number 0631.
Dias bought her winning ticket on her way back to the UK after celebrating her 40th birthday and 12th wedding anniversary in Dubai with her husband.
“Dubai Duty Free’s promotion is a beautiful idea and I really like it! I’ve been living in the UK for eight years now, but I still love Dubai that’s why I keep coming back whenever I have a chance to visit and I also never missed a chance to buy tickets to your promotion. Thank you so much Dubai Duty Free.”
Dias is the fourth Portuguese to win in the DDF Finest Surprise promotion since it started in 1989.
Meanwhile, Shaheen Sheik, a 28-year-old Indian national based in Dubai won a Moto Guzzi California Touring (Black) motorbike in Series 375 with ticket number 0141.
Sheik along with his four colleagues bought a total of 50 tickets online and split the cost between them. A resident of Dubai for ten years now, Sheik works for a retail company since 2011.
“I still couldn’t believe it that we won. We have been trying our luck for a long time and now it finally happened! Thank you Dubai Duty Free.”
Ghulam Ameeri, a Bahraini won an Aprilia Tuono RR 1100 (Black) motorbike in Series 376 with ticket number 0883. Ameeri is also uncontactable at the moment.
The Tuesday draw was conducted by Dubai Duty Free Chief Operating Officer, Ramesh Cidambi; Salah Tahlak, Executive Vice President – Corporate Services, Michael Schmidt, Senior Vice President – Retail Support and Thankachan Varghese, Terminal Operation Manager - Retail.