Indian expat in UAE wins $1 million in Dubai Duty Free draw
He will share prize with nine colleagues who have been buying raffle tickets together
Dubai: Ten colleagues from All Cargo Logistics company in Dubai collectively won a total of $1 million at the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire draw on Wednesday.
The draw was held at Terminal 2 of Dubai International Airport.
Officially, Alex Varghese, a 37-year-old Indian expat in Dubai became the latest dollar millionaire after his winning ticket number 2543 was picked in the Millennium Millionaire Series 405 - which he purchased along with his colleagues online on October 28.
A resident of Dubai for 12 years, Varghese and his colleagues have been participating in the promotion for some years now, alternating the name on the ticket for each series when they purchased their ticket online.
Varghese said: “This is the first time we purchased the ticket in my name and I’m extremely happy that we have finally won.”
Varghese is the 198th Indian national to win $1 million since the start of the Millennium Millionaire promotion in 1999.
Other winners
Following the Millennium Millionaire draw, the Finest Surprise draw was conducted for two luxury cars and two motorbikes.
Justin Jose, a 41-year-old Indian expat living in Dubai, won a BMW X6 M50i car in Series 1820 with ticket number 0058, which he purchased online on October 22.
Jose, who has worked at Emirates Airlines ticketing counter for 15 years, said: “It is indeed a pleasant surprise for me and family. I have been trying my luck in the Millennium Millionaire and Finest Surprise promotion for years now and I’m thrilled that my perseverance has paid off.”
Another luxury car winner was Schade Ulrich, a 64-year-old German national living in Berlin, whose ticket number 1163 in Series 1821 won him a Mercedes Benz AMG GT 43.
He said: “My wife and I love to spend holidays in Dubai and we never miss a chance to buy a ticket in the Finest Surprise promotion, we’re excited to have won such a beautiful car with Dubai Duty Free.”
Two more winners were announced on Wednesday, each one winning a BMW motorbike in the Finest Surprise Promotion.
Shibin K. Jose, an Indian expat living in Dubai won a BMW F 900 XR motorbike in the Series 518 with ticket number 0570, while Pillai Venkata, an Indian national living in Sharjah won a BMW R nineT Scrambler motorbike in Series 519 with ticket number 0119.