79-year-old Lebanese expat in UAE who bought Big Ticket every month for 20 years wins Dh150,000

Abu Dhabi: He has been buying Big Ticket every single month for more than two decades, and Majed Albert Ghulmiyyah, a 79-year-old retired Lebanese expat who has called the UAE home for 55 years, will tell you that patience is everything.

In Series 287 of Big Ticket's Big Win Contest, Majed was among four lucky winners from Lebanon, the UAE and India, who together walked away with a combined Dh590,000 in cash prizes.

"I've been purchasing tickets for over 20 years," he said.

"Sometimes I participate with my wife and children, and other times on my own. But one thing has remained constant: I never miss a month."

He often bought multiple tickets depending on the offers.

When he found out he had won and would be invited to attend the Big Win Contest live, he described the feeling as "truly amazing."

“I was truly happy,” he said.

Majed, who took home Dh150,000, said the winning ticket had been selected entirely at random.

He plans to use the prize to create memorable experiences with his family, including a possible holiday together. He also plans to share a portion of the prize money with friends and relatives. And true to form, he fully intends to keep buying tickets every month and encourage others as well to keep trying.

Also celebrating a Dh150,000 win is Jassim Mohammad Obaid Alyassi, a 47-year-old Emirati who works at Dubai Customs. Jassim discovered Big Ticket online and has been participating independently for over three years.

This is his first-ever win.

"It was a very nice experience being at the Big-Ticket studio. I truly enjoyed every moment of it," he said.

He also praised the initiative for giving everyone a fair shot.

His advice to anyone yet to try their luck was thoughtful: "Take a chance and be patient. To win anything, you need to be patient and wait for your time."