Bangladeshi car salesman scoops Dh20 million in Abu Dhabi's Big Ticket draw

Sharjah resident drives to the capital every month to buy his ticket

Arif Khan was the lucky winner of Dh20 million in Abu Dhabi's Big Ticket draw. Photo: Big Ticket

A second-hand car salesman from Bangladesh has scooped a Dh20 million ($5.4m) jackpot as the latest Big Ticket Grand Prize winner.

Arif Khan, who lives in Sharjah and travels to Abu Dhabi every month to take part in the draw, was the sole winner of The Mighty Dh20 Million.

“Every month for the past year, I have been travelling to Abu Dhabi to buy my ticket — and I’m so grateful to have finally won,” said Mr Khan, who buys his ticket at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

“I have no plans to stop buying Big Tickets and hope to be named a winner again in the future.”

Arif Khan lives in Sharjah but drives to Abu Dhabi every month to buy his ticket. He plans to continue playing the draw.

After living in Saudi Arabia for 12 years, Mr Khan moved to the UAE. At first, he ran a shop that sold bathroom fittings, and now owns a second-hand car business.

Last month, an Indian shopkeeper living in Abu Dhabi has won Dh500,000 in the Big Ticket weekly cash draw.

Mr Binu said he had taken part in the draw for the past two years and was delighted to be told of his success.

He plans to use his winnings to open more fruit and vegetable shops in the UAE.

The July draw will give one winner the chance to bag Dh15m with Big Ticket. A second prize of Dh1 million will also be announced, plus a third prize of Dh100,000 and fourth prize of Dh50,000.

Tickets cost Dh500.

Abu Dhabi Big Ticket winners tell how winning the jackpot changed their lives: in pictures

UAE residents who struck lucky with Abu Dhabi's Big Ticket draw attended a gala dinner. Organisers of the draw celebrated the winners' good luck at the Alexandra Dhow Cruise in Dubai Marina. All photos by Leslie Pableo / The National

Richard Isaac and Bouchra Yamani, the two presenters who pick out the raffle tickets and call the winners, interacted with the winners. Some of attendees had won jackpots of between Dh1 million to Dh15 million, while others won Dh90,000

'The National' spoke to winners about how they have spent their grand prize. Shivamurthy Gali Krishnappa won Dh12 million last month. He said he wants to save for his children's future. For now, he is still working as a mechanical engineer for a stainless steel production company

Shahed Ahmed Moulvifaiz, a Bangladeshi car garage owner in Al Ain, won Dh10 million less than a week ago. He wants to bring his family to the UAE, expand his business and spend on his youngest son's education

Jayaprakash Mariyan Philip had won the Dh1 million prize with nine other people. The funds were split equally, leaving him with Dh100,000. He said he has paid off part of his bank loans

Zaheenn Kausar was visiting her husband in Abu Dhabi from Pakistan, when he bought a ticket under her name. She proved lucky for her family after winning Dh90,000. She wants to pay for her daughter's university tuition and buy a car for herself

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, more than 5,000 people would gather during a live event in Abu Dhabi to watch the draw take place. Since 2020, the draw streams live on social media channels, bringing in even larger crowds

Many people buy multiple tickets together and then split the prize equally. There are also those who win after buying a ticket alone, allowing them to keep the entire jackpot

The Abu Dhabi Big Draw has been changing lives since 1992

The ticket for the grand prize costs Dh500