Big Ticket winners celebrate taking home Dh100,000 each in weekly e-draw

Winners from Pakistan and India said they would buy presents for wife and celebrate with friends

Big Ticket Winners Mansoor Muhammad, Anish Anthikkat and Raneesh Cherumanal all took home Dh100,000 in prizes. Photo: Big Ticket

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.