Three UAE residents are celebrating after winning Dh100,000 each in the weekly Big Ticket e-draw.
The group of men, from India and Pakistan, spoke about their joy of winning and told how they planned to spend the money.
Mansoor Muhammad, 43, from Pakistan, said he has been entering the draw for the past 15 years and bought his winning ticket at Abu Dhabi Airport.
“I asked a random person passing by to choose the ticket numbers and it turned out to be lucky for me,” he said.
Buying a present for his wife was now his first priority, added Mr Muhammad.
Also celebrating was his fellow Abu Dhabi resident Anish Anthikkat, 36.
He planned to celebrate with 10 of his friends, who he has been doing the draw with for the past eight years.
The Indian accountant also expects to save a portion for his daughter’s future.
Dubai resident Raneesh Cherumanal, 33, has been buying tickets for the draw for the past six years.
“I don’t have specific plans yet but I am happy about my win,” said the hotel employee.
He explained how he had not expected to win, not least because he had forgotten the draw was even taking place.
All three were winners in the competition’s weekly e-draw section, which takes place in addition to the monthly Big Ticket raffle which regularly offers prizes worth millions of dollars.
The Big Ticket was established in 1992 with an initial first prize of Dh1 million.
Earlier this year, a Bangladeshi driver walked away with a first prize of Dh35 million.
Last month, there was a Dh15 million prize which was claimed by an Indian man who was waiting on a flight at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
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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
