Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi expats share Dh25 million Big Ticket prize

Abu Dhabi: In a touching show of unity beyond borders, it has now been revealed that last month’s Dh25 million Big Ticket jackpot was shared by a group of expats from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

While the massive win was announced during the July 3 draw, what remained unknown until now is that the winning ticket was jointly owned by 11 expats – nationals from three Indian subcontinent countries – who had pooled their money to try their luck.

The revelation came during the August 3 Big Ticket live draw for Dh20 million, when Mohammed Naser Balal, the winner of July’s Dh25 million jackpot, made a guest appearance at the Big Ticket studio in Abu Dhabi to help pick the latest grand prize winner.

“We are a total of 11 people. There is one person from Pakistan, another one from India,” said Balal, a 43-year-old Bangladeshi expat who works as an electrician in Abu Dhabi.

Balal has been living in the UAE for 14 years and has been consistently buying tickets for the past 12 years. His dedication finally paid off last month when he and his group won the life-changing prize.

However, hosts Richard and Bouchra recalled the challenge of reaching Balal after his ticket was drawn in July, as he was unreachable at the time.

“I was busy at work, and my mobile phone was also on silent,” Balal said with a smile, as the hosts revisited the excitement of that moment.

Balal said his top priority is to build a home for his family. He also plans to invest part of the winnings both in the UAE and back home in Bangladesh.

“First, I want to build a home for my family in Bangladesh,” he said, adding that strangers-turned-friends from across the Indian subcontinent had come together to create this shared success.