Expats come together to invest in DSF raffle coupons

Dubai is a city of hope for many expatriates. During the ongoing Dubai Shopping Festival season, expats are thronging various kiosks and fuel stations selling raffle coupons for various lucky draws.
Among the expats are groups of individuals who share their small contributions to buy raffle coupons worth Dh 200 every day. They have an informal agreement to share the prize if their number is picked in the daily evening draw. There are expats who use their credit cards and even those who borrow from friends and colleagues to invest in a raffle coupon.
Khaleej Times spoke to a cross section of expats in Dubai who have been trying their luck for many years.  
Shahu, an employee of Delma Garage in Al Qusais, said "We have been trying our luck for many years. About twenty employees who work in our garage contribute Dh 10 or Dh 20 each to buy Infinity raffle coupons every day or every alternate day with a hope that one day we will be lucky." He said that, in the nine years of his life in Dubai, lady luck has never smiled on him or his colleagues. "We will try our luck every day during the rest of the Dubai Festival season," he told Khaleej Times.
Samuel, an Indian who is a regular buyer of Infinity raffle coupons, said "We normally write down the names of the contributors on the backside of the raffle coupon as a proof. We hope there will not be any dispute, if our number is picked up. Every evening we are curious to know the winners." Samuel said "We alternatively invest in the Nissan raffle coupons as well by spending Dh 20 or more in the EPPCO and ENOC stations."
Sharing the cost of a ticket is common in middle class and lower middle class expatriate residential pockets like Al Qusais.  Many expats in relatively posh areas use their own funds to buy raffle tickets.
Yusuf Khodabaksh, Marketing Manager of the "Evered" flower shop in Dubai, said "I have been trying to win a mega raffle for more than two decades. Even my father who is in his sixties tried his luck for many years, but lady luck has skipped my family. I have taken Infinity raffle coupons in the name of my father, wife, children and siblings. Even today I am spending Dh 200 with a hope that one day I will win the raffle. Originally from Kenya, my family is still confident of winning a prize because some of my friends have already won the prize. I am not ready to give up."
Fuel station staff who sell the lottery tickets also share the cost and invest in raffle coupons. One employee of the company has already got an Infinity raffle coupon draw, raising the hope of other colleagues as well. The staff are not allowed to take part in the daily Nissan raffles. However, they are allowed to participate in the Infinity raffle.
"The sales staff who have sold the lucky tickets have high expectations that sometimes the winner will come back and say thank you. In many cases, they never come back after winning the prizes. One or two of them have come back and gave some money to the sales staff who sold the winning tickets," added sources working in the DSF kiosks.
Askar, an Indian expat, said he has been regularly buying mega raffle coupons for more than 17 years but not even once lady luck smiled on him. "I am spending Dh 200 every third or fourth day to keep trying my luck. In between, I take part in the Nissan raffle coupon by either buying perfumes or grocery worth Dh 20 or more from Zoom," he said.
Optimism is in the air as Dubai, a city of millionaires, is poised to have several more millionaires during the DSF Festival. 
Lottery facts
> Every day one lucky shopper wins an Infiniti QX70 plus Dh150,000 in cash. Raffle tickets priced at Dh200 are available from EPPCO and ENOC petrol stations; Al Ghurair Centre; Global Village; Al Fahidi Street; Al Rigga Street; Al Seef Street; Baniyas Road; and the Gold Souk.
> The daily raffle draw takes place every night at 10pm live on SAMA Dubai TV till February 4.
> The Nissan Grand Raffle awards one of eight Nissan cars - Micra, Sunny, Sentra, Tiida hatchback, X-Trail, Juke, Pathfinder, and Patrol - to a lucky winner every day till January 28.
> Earn one raffle ticket upon purchase of non-fuel products worth Dh20 at all EPPCO and ENOC petrol stations, as well as Zoom shops in Dubai. The draw will take place with a live broadcast at 10pm on SAMA Dubai TV.