Pakistani wins $1 million in Dubai Duty Free Diwali raffle

Dubai - She had bought 18 tickets online with her husband.

A UAE resident who spent almost Dh40,000 on raffle tickets is now reaping the rewards after winning $1 million on Tuesday.
"I'm in shock. When they called me I was so surprised. Just the night before my husband was telling me he had a sixth sense and he kept saying I would win. I'll believe it when the money is in the bank. It's still a surprise to me," Pakistani national Fehmida Tanveeer told Khaleej Times.
Winning series number 285 of the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire with ticket number 0373, Tanveeer said the money will be "life changing".
"You know, I bought 18 tickets online for this one draw. Tickets are Dh1,000 each. For the series last month I bought 10 tickets, and for the upcoming draw I've already bought about 11 tickets, I think. I just had a feeling one day the investment would pay off, and it did."
Living in Dubai for 12 years, Tanveeer is a housewife while her husband works in sales.
Though they are one of the lucky ones to have bagged the $1 million jackpot, Tanveeer said they will probably keep buying tickets; just maybe not as many.
"My husband likes to invest, so we'll keep buying. When I told him we had won, he was just ecstatic. He even said at 11am on the day of the draw, just 15 minutes before the winner was announced, he said a prayer for me. Not long after I called him confirming the news."
The plan now is to donate 15 per cent of the winnings to needy people back in their home country of Pakistan, 50 per cent will go towards buying a property in Dubai and the rest, "who knows".
"Maybe when my husband gets home tonight we can talk about it more. It is just an unreal moment."
Tuesday's draw at Dubai International Airport (DXB) celebrated the Diwali Festival of Lights. A special reception was attended by Vipul, the Indian Consul General to Dubai, alongside Dubai Duty Free's Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Mr Colm McLoughlin.
The occasion was marked with a traditional Indian dance (Kathak dance), which was performed by the dance troupe Gurukul Dubai.
Following the Millennium Millionaire draw, a presentation was made to previous winner, Sourav Dey, a 45-year-old Indian national living in Dubai who won in Series no. 284 with ticket no. 3070.
Vipul also joined in the Finest Surprise draw where Faisal Salem Al Masoud, a Kuwaiti national won a new Bentley Bentayga car after he won in Series 1701 with ticket number 1656.
Meanwhile Mr. Andrew Boxall, an Australian national from Western Australia won an Indian Scouts motorbike in Series 350 with ticket number 0160.
kelly@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai