Four winners from India, Iran, Pakistan and Philippines each won Dh25,000 in Big Ticket’s first weekly e-draw for the month of September. From an Iranian expat living in Qatar to a Filipina pharmacist in Abu Dhabi, here are the lucky winners and their exciting stories.
Ahmed Zadeh
Ahmed Zadeh is a Qatar resident originally from Iran. He was stunned to discover that his Big Ticket purchase had turned into a winning one. He had purchased ticket number 029553 online just a few days before the first weekly e-draw.
Pranav Malil Sol
Pranav Malil Sol from Bengaluru, India, who purchased ticket number 067408 online, found it difficult to believe he had won even after receiving a call from Big Ticket’s host Richard. The host urged him to check the live draw on YouTube and Sol finally accepted the news with joy and gratitude.
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Aida Villanueva Centeno
Aida Villanueva Centeno, a 61-year-old pharmacist from the Philippines, has been living in Abu Dhabi for the past 19 years. She lives with one of her three children, while her other two are based back home in the Philippines. Aida regularly participates in Big Ticket alongside a group of 10 colleagues from the hospital where she works.
After trying their luck several times without a win, Aida and her colleagues decided to take a break. Eventually, the group chose to give it another try, a decision that finally brought them the moment they had been waiting for.
Making the ticket even more personal, Aida selected the number using a combination of her birthday and her daughter’s. “I wanted to choose something that meant something to me. I had a feeling that I would win this time, and somehow, that feeling came true,” she shared.
Aida initially missed the winning call, but when she discovered the news, she was overjoyed. “I was so happy when I found out. We had tried so many times before, stopped for a while and then decided to try again, so to finally win together was such a wonderful feeling,” she said. The prize will be split between the group, and Aida plans to save part of her share while using some of it to purchase more Big Ticket entries. For her, the win has given the group every reason to keep trying their luck.
Zulqarnain Malik
A 40-year-old Human Resources professional from Pakistan, Zulqarnain Malik was born and raised in the UAE and currently lives here with his wife and two children. He first came across Big Ticket by chance while travelling and decided to try his luck. After participating a few times without a win, he stopped, only to rediscover Big Ticket online last year and begin purchasing tickets again. His winning ticket was only the sixth ticket he had purchased with Big Ticket.
Zulqarnain bought his ticket individually and left the selection entirely to chance. “I don’t really believe in lucky numbers, so I just selected the ticket randomly,” he shared. When the winning news arrived, however, the feeling was anything but ordinary. “I got goosebumps when I found out. I was genuinely so happy, it was such an exciting experience, especially because I never expected to win.”
The win has made a meaningful difference for Zulqarnain and his family. “I plan to spend the prize for my wife and children and make them happy,” he said. And he is already hoping his winning streak continues. “I’ve already purchased my next ticket. I feel like my luck is going strong, so I want to try again and aim for the grand prize.”
Future Big Ticket draws
A lucky winner is set to take home a Dh20 million grand prize on October 3, and five more winners will share Dh1.95 million in consolation prizes during the same draw. One winner will receive Dh1 million, another will take home Dh500,000, a third will win Dh250,000, while two additional winners will each receive Dh100,000.
The Big Spin continues, Buy 1 Big Ticket anytime during the month of September for a chance to be one of the 3 participants who will be selected during the live draw on October 3 to play the Big Spin game on November 3 and win up to Dh1 million each.
Three weekly E-draws remain where four winners will each receive Dh25,000, giving customers something to look forward to every week throughout September.
Car enthusiasts also have two standout Dream Car draws to look forward to over the coming months. A Nissan Patrol will be awarded during the October 3 draw, while a Range Rover Velar will be up for grabs on November 3.
Source: Khaleej Times