$1m raffle winner in Dubai to split cash with 39 others

Dubai - Only nine others had pooled in the money to buy the winning ticket.

A group of 40 car technicians in Dubai have been trying their luck at winning a million dollars for the past five years. And when they actually did, they thought they were being scammed.

Ramesh Krishnankutty, whose ticket was drawn in the latest Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire raffle, insisted that the organisers send him a mail so he could believe that he had actually won.

He was one of two who hit the $1 million jackpot in the raffle draw held on Tuesday. The other is Imran Ishaq, a 48-year-old Paksitani based in Muscat.

Even though Krishnankutty had pooled in with just nine others to buy the $1 million winning ticket, the amount will be split equally among the group of 40. That means each in the group would be left with $25,000.

"There used to be 100 of us chipping in to buy a raffle ticket. It soon reduced to 40 of us. We have been trying for the past five years and now that we have actually won it, we can't believe it," said Krishnankutty.

When asked what he plans to do with the money, he said he is still in the process of digesting the news. "I have let my family know and they are all very excited."

Krishnankutty, who hails from Thrissur in the south Indian state of Kerala, is married with two children.

The other winner, Ishaq, said he would buy more properties and "probably invest in a car business in Muscat".

Following the millionaire draw, four other winners were also announced in the finest surprise promotion, each winning a luxury vehicle.

Kuznietsov Alexander, a 41-year-old Ukrainian national from Kiev, became a proud owner of an Audi A8L, while Turki Alawwad, a Saudi Arabian national from Riyadh, won a BMW 760Li xDrive.

Anil Kumar, a 42-year-old Indian national living in Dubai, won a Chieftain motorbike, and Ian McLaren, a British national from Scotland, will be driving away a new BMW R 1200 RS motorbike.

sahim@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai