Dubai: Eleanor Paterson, 61, an Australian national and a nurse based in Perth, is the latest winner of the mega $1 million prize purse in the latest Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire and Finest Surprise draw held on Wednesday at Dubai International Airport.
Paterson became the latest dollar millionaire in Millennium Millionaire Series 343. She had purchased the ticket online on October 19.
Paterson, who had briefly lived in the UAE way back in the early 1980s, said in a telephone interview with Gulf News that she had the privilege of serving the royal family in Dubai. “It is my dream to come back to UAE and experience an overnight desert camp. I will do it now that I have won,” said Paterson, wife and mother to a 16-year-old boy.
She said she buys a DDF ticket once every three months. “I heard about the duty free Promotions when I used to work as a nurse in Saudi Arabia. We used to fly via Dubai enroute to Australia. I have been purchasing these tickets since then.” Paterson said it felt unreal. “I am excited, grateful and cannot believe that I have won,” she added. Paterson considers '3' as her lucky number and always chooses tickets with the numeral 3.
Paterson is the fifth Australian national to win $1 million since the start of the Millennium Millionaire promotion in 1999.
Following the Millennium Millionaire draw, the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise draw for two luxury motorbikes was also conducted. Shane Carroll, 35, based in Dubai, won a Moto Guzzi Eldorado (Rosso) in the Finest Surprise Series 430. He had purchased the ticket online on October 27.
A resident of Dubai for five years now, Carroll works in a bank and has been participating in the Dubai Duty Free promotion for more than a year now. “Is this a coincidence or pure luck? I just told my wife that I will win today, and I received your call at the same time. I’m so happy.”
Syrian expatriate Alia Malakani, 28, based Al Ain, won a Harley Davidson Sportster XL 1200C (Billiard Red/Vivid Black) in the Finest Surprise Series 431, which she had purchased online on November 5. A mother of one, Malakani said she had been participating in Dubai Duty Free promotions for a year now.
Wednesday’s draw was conducted following social distancing by Dubai Duty Free's Executive Vice-Chairman and CEO, Colm McLoughlin, Ramesh Cidambi, chief operating officer, Sinead El Sibai, senior vice-president, marketing, and Mona Al Ali, senior vice-president, human resources.
