Four winners from Bangladesh, India, and Syria received Dh25,000 each on Big Ticket’s second weekly e-draw for April. Behind the wins are familiar stories of long-term entrants, group players, and first-time winners finally seeing a return after years of persistence.
Among the lucky winners is Vijayakumar Chottail, a 63-year-old from Kerala. For him, the call of luck came after nearly 17 years of buying Big Ticket entries.
“Big Ticket is very well known, I often come across its ads and news on social media. I’ve been participating in the draws for almost 17 years, nearly every month, on my own. I selected this winning ticket at random.” Vijayakumar said.
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He has lived in Qatar for the past 38 years working with a retail group, while his family remains in India. He has kept up his entries independently throughout the years.
He shared that he missed the initial call “but received the email confirming the win and was overjoyed. He said that he has no immediate plans for the prize and intends to save the amount. Vijayakumar also confirmed that he will continue participating in Big Ticket in the future.
‘I was very happy’
In Abu Dhabi, another win unfolded as a shared moment. Bangladeshi expat Mohammed Munjur Morshed is part of a group of 18 people who enter Big Ticket together every month. He has lived in the UAE for 14 years and first learned about the draw through friends and social media.
He first heard about Big Ticket three years ago through friends and social media and has been participating every month since then as part of a group of 18 people.
“I selected the winning ticket completely at random without following any pattern,” said the building maintenance coordinator. “When I received the winning call, I was very happy, and so was my group. We hope to win an even bigger prize in the future.”
Mohammed confirmed that the cash prize will be split among the group, and they plan to continue participating in Big Ticket moving forward.
Huge win after 12 years
Syrian national Wafa Khalouf, a 37-year-old general manager based in Abu Dhabi, finally saw his persistence pay off after 12 years of monthly participation.
“I was thrilled, it’s an incredible feeling after all these years,” he shared.
With major commitments ahead, the timing came as a welcome relief. Wafa said he will continue entering future draws, adding, “Stay consistent and never lose hope. Your turn could come anytime.”
‘This gives me hope’
In Dubai, 36-year-old logistics coordinator Manu Augustin from Kerala also celebrated his first Big Ticket win after 13 years in the emirate. He has been participating monthly with a group of 10 friends.
Relying on randomly selected numbers, his long-standing routine has finally paid off with his first win. “I was really happy. This win gives me hope, and now I’m looking forward to the big draw even more.”
While he has not yet made any specific plans for his share of the prize, Manu remains optimistic about the future. He added that he will continue participating in Big Ticket, calling it a meaningful initiative that helps people work towards their goals. Encouraging others, he said, “Keep trying and don’t give up.”
Big Ticket’s ‘Month of Millionaires’
The April campaign continues with Big Ticket positioning the month as its “Month of Millionaires”, promising six guaranteed millionaire winners.
The grand prize stands at Dh25 million, to be awarded during the live draw on May 3, alongside five additional Dh1 million consolation prizes.
Two more weekly e-draws remain in April, with four winners each set to receive Dh25,000. The draws are streamed live at 11am on the Big Ticket YouTube channel.
Customers who purchase two or more tickets between April 1 and 24 are also eligible for the Big Win Contest, where four selected entrants will be invited to the May 3 live draw and guaranteed cash prizes between Dh50,000 and Dh150,000. Winners will be announced on May 1.
The campaign also includes the Dream Car Series, featuring a Land Rover Defender on May 3 and a Range Rover Velar on June 3.
Tickets are available online and across official counters in the UAE, including Zayed International Airport, Mohamed Bin Zayed City, Morafiq Mussafah, and the new store at Morafiq City Check-In in Al Ain.
Source: Khaleej Times