Three UAE residents are celebrating after winning Dh100,000 each in the weekly Big Ticket e-draw.
The group of men, from Bangladesh, India and the Netherlands, spoke about their joy and how they planned to spend the money.
Dubai resident Nikhilchandra Shah, 52, who has been entering the draw for the past two years with seven of his friends, said he was overjoyed when he received the call.
"I am so happy, I am in shock. I didn't expect to win today," the Indian national said.
The first thing he plans to do is celebrate with his friends and engage in charitable activities.
Also celebrating is Sagir Ahamed Islam Ahamed, a 36-year-old Bangladeshi who lives in Fujairah.
The pharmacy cashier says he has been entering the draw for the past eight months with a group of 15 people, and he would travel from Fujairah to the Big Ticket store at Abu Dhabi International Airport to purchase a ticket.
However, this is the first time they have bought a ticket under Sagir's name.
"I am so happy. I think I brought luck to my friends," he said, adding that he hopes he will receive another call on September 3 and win the Dh20 million jackpot.
Abu Dhabi resident Pieter de Ridder, 37, also took home Dh100,000.
The Dutch ship engineer said it was his second time participating in the draw. "I am happy about my win. This is the second time participating in Big Ticket, and I want to advise everyone to try it. Big Ticket is real and it's a great opportunity," he said.
Kuwait-based Rajeeb Rahman, 32, also took home Dh100,000 after participating in the draw for the past two years with nine of his friends.
All four were winners in the competition's weekly e-draw section, which takes place in addition to the monthly Big Ticket raffle.
The Big Ticket was established in 1992 with an initial first prize of Dh35 million.
Earlier this month, Dubai resident Sakil Khan won and shared the Dh15 million jackpot with 14 friends.
UAE Big Ticket winners – in pictures
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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
