Daijiworld Media Network – Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, Apr 15: In a streak of luck for Indian expatriates in the Middle East, four individuals have bagged Dh 25,000 each in the first weekly e-draw of Abu Dhabi’s Big Ticket for the month of April. Among the winners is a Mangaluru native who turned her birthday into a life-changing celebration.

Double celebration for Mangalurean winner

Veera Lobo, a 50-year-old Dubai resident originally from Mangaluru, received the best birthday gift she could have imagined. Lobo decided to purchase her ticket on Easter Sunday, which coincided with her 50th birthday.

Veera Lobo and Amritha Babu

Participating as part of a group of four, Lobo expressed her shock and joy upon hearing the news. "I was overwhelmed with happiness and excitement. I never expected it at all," she said. The group plans to split the prize money, and Lobo has pledged to donate a portion of her share to charity.

Other winners from the region

The weekly draw saw three other Indian expats, including residents from Kerala and Kuwait, securing the Dh 25,000 prize:

• Anzil Nazar: A 33-year-old aircraft technician with Air Arabia originally from Kerala, Nazar has lived in the UAE since 2022. Unlike his usual practice of pooling money with friends, he tried his luck independently this time with a random ticket selection. Initially mistaking the winning notification for a promotional call, Nazar said he plans to continue participating in the future.

• Amritha Babu: A 30-year-old teaching assistant at a GEMS school in Sharjah, Amritha’s win came on only her fourth ticket purchase. A resident of the UAE for eight years, she chose her ticket based on her lucky number, ‘8’. She recognised the voice of Big Ticket host Richard over the phone before the news even sank in.

• Fathima Afeedha: Another native of Kerala, Fathima’s winning ticket was purchased by her husband, a supervisor based in Kuwait for the last 15 years. Her husband, who has been buying tickets for five years, expressed his delight and stated he would continue to try his luck in the upcoming draws.

Grand prize awaits

The weekly e-draws are part of the lead-up to the grand live draw on May 3, which features a massive Dh 25 million jackpot. In addition to the top prize, five other participants will walk away with Dh 1 million each. Three more weekly draws remain for the month of April, with four winners guaranteed to win Dh 25,000 every week.