Filipino and Indian expats win $1 million each in Dubai Duty Free draw

Dubai: A Filipino expat and an Indian expat in the UAE have been announced as the new dollar millionaires in the latest Dubai Duty Free (DDF) Millennium Millionaire draw, held on Wednesday at Concourse B of Dubai International Airport.

Arsenio A., a 47-year-old Filipino based in Dubai, became a US$1 million winner in Millennium Millionaire Series 515 with ticket number 3836, which he purchased online on August 30.

A resident of Dubai for 18 years, Arsenio has been participating in the Dubai Duty Free promotion for 10 years. He is a father of two and works for a pharmaceutical company in the city.

“Thank you so much Dubai Duty Free! You’ve been changing lives with this incredible opportunity, and I’m grateful to be one of them,” he said.

Arsenio is the 15th Filipino national to have won $1 million in the Millennium Millionaire promotion since its inception in 1999.

Joining him as a fellow US dollar millionaire is Abdul Rahman K., a 37-year-old Indian national based in Sharjah, who won in Millennium Millionaire Series 516 with ticket number 4171, purchased online on September 6.

Abdul Rahman shared the cost of the ticket with his nine colleagues and friends, who have been participating in the Dubai Duty Free promotion since 2010, alternating the name on the ticket for each series whenever they purchase.

He is a father of three and works as a sales assistant for a retail company.

“It’s amazing! Two of my daughters are celebrating their birthdays this month, and now we have even more reason to celebrate. Thank you, Dubai Duty Free,” he said.

Abdul Rahman, who hails from Kerala, is the 259th Indian national to have won $1 million in the Millennium Millionaire promotion, with Indians being by far the biggest purchasers of tickets.