Dubai: Indian expatriate Syed Hasheem, 51, based in AlKhobar, Saudi Arabia, is the latest winner of the $1 million Dubai Duty Free (DDF) Millennium Millionaire prize, the draw for which was held here today.
Hasheem won the jackpot after his winning ticket number 4114 was picked in the Millionaire Series 387, which he had purchased online on April 4.
Hasheem, a resident of Saudi Arabia for 27 years, working as a sales executive, said he had been a regular participant in DDF promotions for the last 12 years. “My dream has finally come true, I will never forget this day,” he said.
Hasheem, who hails from Puducherry in India, is the 187th Indian national to win a million dollars since the start of the Millennium Millionaire promotion in 1999. Indian nationals make up the highest number of DDF millennium millionaire ticket buyers.
Following the Millennium Millionaire draw, the Finest Surprise draw was conducted for four luxury vehicles. Joining in the draw line-up was Salim Ibrahim, senior manager, Retail Sales; Thankachan Varghese, senior manager, Retail Support.
Sharjah resident Sruthi Anish, another Indian national, won a Porsche Panamera (Carrara White Metallic) car, with ticket number 1220 in Finest Surprise Series 1802. Anish was unaware of his win as he was unreachable for a comment.
Dana Omarova from Kazakhstan and based in Almaty won a Mercedes Benz S500 (Diamond White) car with ticket number 0334 at the Finest Surprise Series 1803. She had purchased the ticket at the Finest Surprise counter in Dubai International Airport.
Omarova, who is the first Kazakh national to win a luxury car since the start of the Finest Surprise promotion in 1989 was uncontactable.
Dubai resident Ayoob Mohammed Hassan, 29, won a BMW R nineT Special 719 (Aluminium) motorbike with ticket number 0592 in Finest Surprise Series 494, which he had purchased on April 3. A regular participant in DDF promotions for six years now, Hassan is a resident of Dubai for eight years and works as a limousine driver for a luxury transport company. “This win has come at the right time as I’ve been struggling financially,” he said.
Doha resident Leonard Wilson, 44, won a BMW F 750 GS (Triple Black) motorbike, with ticket number 0385 in Finest Surprise Series 495, which he had purchased online on April 14. A regular participant in DDF’s promotions for six years now, Wilson, a father of two, works as a manager for a company in Doha. “I will keep buying tickets in the hope of winning again,” he said.
