‘I thought it was a scam’: Dubai man misses winning call, then lands Dh100K Big Ticket prize

A long-time Dubai resident’s patience has finally paid off at the Big Ticket draw.
Yahia Almasri, a Canadian expat who has lived in the UAE for 15 years, won Dh100,000 in Big Ticket’s Draw Series 281 held in Abu Dhabi.

Almasri, who works for a Dubai-based news channel, said the win marked the end of three years of steady participation in the popular weekly draw. He first learned about Big Ticket through a friend and decided to try his luck independently, buying tickets regularly and sticking to a disciplined routine.

“I would always wait a few days for a call from the Big Ticket team about any ticket bundle promotions because I could never say no to a good offer.”
Still, promotions were not a deciding factor.
“Even on months when no promotion was available, I still bought my tickets. I made sure to stay consistent.”

When the winning call finally came, Almasri was travelling and initially missed it. Instead, he received an email from the Big Ticket team informing him of his win – a message he did not immediately trust.
“At first, I thought it might be a scam, but when I saw my name on the official website, I knew it was real.”
He isn’t sharing the prize with anyone but hasn’t made his mind as to what to do with the unexpected windfall.

“I don’t have any plans for the prize money yet, but I do intend to continue purchasing tickets.”

For now, he plans to keep participating in the draw.

Almasri urged others to be persistent as well.
“My advice to others is to keep participating, it’s an incredible feeling when the good news finally arrives after all the time and effort.”