iPhone | iPad
Android
Huawei
Five-time champions hold their nerve to claim victory by nine runs in the final over at Chandigarh
KT APPDOWNLOAD
Dh15 million Indian winner was 'forced' to buy Abu Dhabi lottery ticket
Abu Dhabi - 'I have seen a lot of struggle in my life - and now I am blessed with this win'
What is luck? Ask Nobin Mathew, who was forced into buying a raffle ticket, and in his only second and final attempt won Dh15 million in the Big Ticket Abu Dhabi draw.
Mathew, an Indian expat, has been residing in Kuwait since 2007. A family man with a humble lifestyle, he had never thought about participating in raffle draws. It was at the behest of his colleagues, Pramod Mattummal and Minu Thomas, that Mathew joined them in buying the Big Ticket. Luck deserted him last month and Mathew had made up his mind that the November draw would be his last attempt - and then he hit the jackpot, which he has decided to share with his two colleagues.
“My colleagues are purchasing tickets for some time now. They forced me to join them. This is only my second time buying a lottery ticket. I didn’t win last month. So, I had told my colleagues that this will be my last attempt,” Mathew said over the phone from Kuwait.
Mathew was shocked when the Big Ticket organisers called him. He was working and didn’t watch the live telecast of the draw but immediately realised he had hit the jackpot with his ticket number 254806 bought on October 17. “I didn’t know what to say then. I was lost for words.”
The expat was born in Oman’s capital of Muscat and raised in the Indian state of Kerala. After finishing his graduation, Mathew moved to Kuwait where he now lives with his wife and five-year-old son.
“I have been living in Kuwait since 2007. I have seen a lot of struggle in my life. I have worked at many companies. I am still finding my feet. And now I am blessed with this win,” said Mathew, who works in the auto sector.
After the win, his phone is ringing non-stop with congratulatory wishes from friends and family members. The 38-year-old from Kerala’s Thiruvalla town is undecided on what to do with the money.
“I am undecided as I never thought about winning through a lottery. I will make a decision after consulting my family members. I am a down to earth guy. I thank God for the blessings.”
This is the consecutive time that the Big Ticket winner is from abroad. Last month’s winner Ahmed Al Hamidi was a Saudi national living in Bahrain.
Big Ticket promotion for the month of December has started. People can buy tickets till November 30 for the Dh12 million draw.
More news from
Natasha Abbas is a British civil engineer who co-founded North 51, a project management consultancy in Dubai
People who are assessing your qualifications can quickly tell the difference between an authentic life narrative and a third-party account
Arab-Canadian public speaking coach and author of The Million Dollar Speaker Maher Elusini on how to make your speech command value for time and money
The legendary Greek-Russian conductor Teodor Currentzis, who is all set to perform at the Dubai Opera next week, on music transcending cultural and language barriers
Not every kid is meant to go to university or college. So, it makes sense to teach them entrepreneurial skills early
There are also increasing accounts, on social media and online forums, of tourists and residents across the city having to pay inflated prices for taxis
When feeling stuck in life, it's important to revise your thinking patterns
