Filipino expat in UAE for 17 years wins Dh25,000 from Big Ticket Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: Jay Michael Peralta Gines, who has lived in Abu Dhabi for 17 years with his wife, almost missed the moment altogether when a call that he had been waiting for finally came.

The 43-year-old from Luzon, Philippines, was fast asleep when the call came through at night, and for a moment, he hesitated to pick up.

"It was quite late, so at first I wasn't sure whether to pick up. But as soon as I heard Richard's voice, I recognised him and realised what was happening. I was so happy to find out that I had finally won," said Jay, who works in Operations Support.

He is one of four winners announced in Big Ticket's third weekly E-draw for August, each of whom has taken home Dh25,000.

The winners come from the Philippines, India and Bangladesh, adding to the growing tally of expats across the UAE who have struck lucky through the platform's weekly draws.

Jay discovered Big Ticket through social media and has played every month since 2023 as part of a group of eight people.

His winning numbers were not random. "I combined three dates that are very special to me – my wife's birthday, our anniversary and my birth month. I felt there was something meaningful about that combination, so I decided to go with it," he said.

He plans to enjoy his share of the prize and intends to keep playing. "Big Ticket has helped many people turn their dreams into reality, and I believe everyone has their own chance," he said, urging others to stay hopeful.

"Keep on believing. One day, if the stars align for you, nobody can say no to your destiny,” he said.

Also among the winners is Binod Sebastian, a 41-year-old nurse from Kerala, India, who has lived in Abu Dhabi for a decade with his family. Binod first heard about Big Ticket through friends and plays every month as part of a group of five.

This win, his first, came about because a friend picked the number on the group's behalf.

"One of my friends selected the winning ticket for us, so when I received the call, I was very happy. We have been participating together for many years, and it felt good to finally see our group win," Binod said.

He intends to put his share towards daily expenses and confirmed the group will keep buying tickets each month. "Try your best and give yourself the opportunity. You never know when your turn might come," he added.

Rounding off the list are two expats from Bangladesh. Kamrul Idrish Miah, a 40-year-old driver who has lived in Al Ain for 17 years, learnt about Big Ticket through friends and plays monthly with a group.

He picked his ticket on instinct alone. "I chose the number because I had a good feeling about it. When I received the winning call, I was so happy. I couldn't believe that I had finally won," he said.

Kamrul plans to invest his share in a business for his family's future and will continue playing. "Keep trying. Everyone has a chance, and one day it could be you," he said.

Mohammed Mamun, a 31-year-old businessman who has lived in Ajman for six years with his brother, discovered Big Ticket through YouTube and has played monthly for two years with a group of 20.

When the winning call came, he was sceptical. "When I first received the call, I thought it might be spam. I didn't believe it straight away, so I went on YouTube to check the result for myself. When I saw that our number had actually won, it felt like a miracle," he said.

The group's number was chosen at random, making the win, his first, all the more unexpected. Mohammed said the group would decide together how to use their shares and encouraged others to stay persistent. "Don't ever stop trying. One day, it could completely change your future," he said.