‘Huge win with first try’: Indian, Pakistani expats bag Big Ticket Abu Dhabi’s May e-draw

Abu Dhabi: Expats from India and Pakistan have won in Big Ticket Abu Dhabi’s first weekly e-draw of May. Each winner received a cash prize of Dh50,000 after trying their luck for years.

In the week that marked International Nurses Day, Arun Mohan, a 36-year-old nurse from Kerala, was among the winners.

Since moving to Qatar in 2019 for work, he has been purchasing tickets monthly as part of a group of 10 friends. He was surprised to receive the winning call, marking a special moment for the entire group who had consistently participated together.

He plans to divide the prize equally among the group and send his share home to support his family in India.

He has no plans to stop and will continue buying Big Ticket entries. His message to others: “stay hopeful”.

First-time buyer

Muhammad Ramzan Muhammad Rafique, a 34-year-old driver from Pakistan, has been living in Ajman since 2010. His family remains in Pakistan due to financial constraints. He has always worked hard to support them, and with this win, his life has taken a positive turn.

This was Rafique’s first time buying a Big Ticket, and lucky for him, he won big.

“When I got the winning call, they were speaking in English and I couldn’t understand much, but for me, this is a huge win,” he shared.

While he still finds the news hard to believe, he is deeply thankful and feels truly blessed. He will discuss his next steps with his family, calling it a major moment for them. Rafique said he will continue to purchase Big Ticket entries and always encourages his friends to do the same.

“Try your luck – sometimes all it takes is one try.”

‘Wonderful opportunity’

Sarangaraj Seran, a 48-year-old quay crane operator from Chennai, has been living in the UAE for the past six years while his wife and two daughters remain in India.

Currently based in Abu Dhabi, he usually buys tickets either on his own or occasionally with friends and has been doing so consistently for the past six years.

Thanks to his persistence, Sarangaraj received an email with the amazing news, and he was ecstatic. His top priority now is to clear existing loans and support his daughters’ education.

Sarangaraj said he will continue buying Big Ticket entries and encourages others to do the same.

“It’s truly a wonderful opportunity that the Big Ticket team has given me. I’m so thankful – once again, thank you, Big Ticket team.”

Meanwhile, Gangadharan Puthiyavalapil, originally from India, secured his winning ticket online and was overjoyed upon hearing the news.