Abu Dhabi: Bangladeshi expat Abul Monsur will be sharing the Dh20 million Big Ticket winnings announced in Abu Dhabi today with 12 friends.
“I have been working here in the UAE since 2007 and purchasing Big Ticket for 16 years now. Thirteen of us friends had bought this winning ticket together,” Monsur, a resident of Abu Dhabi, told Gulf News after hitting the grand prize with ticket number 311573.
The ticket was purchased on September 27.
“I was watching the show live. We can’t express our joy when our number was called. We are all so excited,” said Monsur, who works as a mason. Most of his friends, who will share the winnings, also work in the construction sector earning between Dh1,000 and Dh3,000 each.
“We have been pooling in money - Dh50, Dh100 and more - to purchase these tickets. This time we bought tickets worth Dh1,000. We always believed that lady luck would smile on us one day. We have all become millionaires now.”
Following the windfall, Monsur hopes to ensure a better quality of life for his family.
“I hail from Chittagong. I have a wife, a daughter and two boys, both working in Dubai. Our future is secure. I will continue to buy tickets,” said the 52-year-old who plans to try his luck at the November draw of Big Ticket as well.
