Dubai: Abu Dhabi’s Big Ticket celebrated four of its lucky grand prize and e-draw winners and uncovered their personal stories in an interactive panel discussion. The first-of-its kind event was held at Dubai Design District and revealed the individual experiences behind each winner.
The event featured inspiring stories of Leena Jalal, Jacob Roy, Shahid Mahmood and Safwan Nizameddin who all won Big Ticket grand prize and e-draws.
Jalal, an Indian expatriate residing in Abu Dhabi, said she bought her ticket only days prior to the draw. She shared her ticket with colleagues and friends. Jalal said she was looking to make a difference to the community by setting aside a portion of her win for local charities. The rest would go towards supporting her family back home, she said.
Roy, another Indian expatriate from Abu Dhabi, said he and his friends had been buying Big Ticket every month for the last five years. On May 1 this year, Roy was overjoyed to know that he had won Dh300,000 in prize money from the lucky draw. He said he would continue to participate in the Big Ticket draw.
Dh15m win
Mahmood, a Dubai-based Pakistani working at a glass installation company, won Dh15 million in the Big Ticket draw. For five years, he had been purchasing Big Ticket raffles every month. Finally, he won! Mahmood split his winnings with a close friend residing in Pakistan.
Nizameddin, Big Ticket Abu Dhabi’s latest grand prize winner, made history by being the first Saint Kitts and Nevis national to win in the draw. A longtime resident of Abu Dhabi, Nizameddin, too, has been purchasing tickets every month for the past two years. The executive manager of a company specialising in power generation is a family man at heart. He plans to use his winnings to purchase properties for his three children as an investment for their future.
Bouchra, co-host of Big Ticket Abu Dhabi, said: “At Big Ticket, it is truly wonderful to see how the winners’ lives — and of those around them — are changed instantly. This is the ripple effect that Big Ticket has on winners and the wider communities.”
Prizes this year
This year, Big Ticket awarded 60 cash prize winners, whose winnings equal to a total prize value of more than Dh110 million.
Richard, co-host of Big Ticket Abu Dhabi, said: “Big Ticket is more than just a raffle draw, but a platform that champions true change. I feel so touched by the stories shared today by the winners and how they decided to share their winnings with others.”
