Big Ticket Abu Dhabi: Indian expat wins Dh150,000 after Eid luck

Abu Dhabi: An Indian expat in the UAE unexpectedly found a parking spot during the busy Eid Al Adha holidays, a moment his friend took as a lucky sign and urged him to buy a Big Ticket. Just days later, that spontaneous decision led Vishnu Unnithan to win Dh150,000 in the Big Ticket’s weekly e-draw Series 276 held in Abu Dhabi.
“I’ve been living here for the past 10 years. I’ve been purchasing tickets every month. My friends and I share the cost. We even have a dedicated WhatsApp group for it,” said Unnithan, who struck lucky with ticket number 090494.

Hailing from Kerala and working in sales, Unnithan recalled the moment that led to his win.

“During the Eid holidays, I was visiting a friend, and we surprisingly found a parking spot in a crowded area. My friend joked that it must be a lucky day and told me to buy a Big Ticket. That’s how I ended up purchasing one.”

When show host Richard announced that Unnithan had won Dh150,000, he was in disbelief. “Seriously, I’m surprised. I can’t believe it, thank you,” he said, noting that the prize money will be split among seven friends.

Unnithan now plans to travel and explore new places.

“I will support my family. I also have some dreams. I love travelling, but I’ve never been anywhere outside of the country. So, I’ll invest some of the money in that.”

Unnithan’s winning ticket will remain in the drum for the Dh25 million Grand Prize draw next month. Asked whether – after finding a parking spot and winning the weekly e-draw – he could be third-time lucky, a beaming Unnithan told Richard: “I’ll be looking forward to your call on July 3 as well.”

Meanwhile, two other Indian expats also won Dh150,000 each in the same draw.