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'Completely speechless': Indian participant wins Dh25 million in Big Ticket Abu Dhabi
Kanika Arora who has been buying Big Ticket entries with her husband for the past three years, said she was initially too shocked to process the news
- PUBLISHED: Fri 3 Jul 2026, 8:26 PM UPDATED: Sat 4 Jul 2026, 12:21 PM
On Friday, July 3, luck struck in a big way as Kanika Arora, a 42-year-old homemaker from India's Delhi became the winner of a staggering Dh25 million—the grand prize in this month’s Big Ticket Abu Dhabi live draw.
The life-changing prize went to Indian participant Kanika Arora, who lives in New Delhi, after her ticket number 476107, purchased on 30 June, was drawn as the winning ticket.
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The hosts Richard and Bouchra called the winner to share the exciting news, and she became very emotional on the phone, crying as she repeatedly expressed how happy she was.
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Reflecting on her journey, Kanika said she and her husband began buying Big Ticket entries three years ago after he came across it on YouTube. After researching the draw and finding it credible, they decided to try their luck and have been purchasing tickets together every month since.
Recalling the moment she received the winning call, Kanika said she was initially too shocked to process the news.
"I was completely speechless," she said. "But once it started to sink in, my husband and I were overwhelmed with happiness. We had often talked about what we would do if we ever won the grand prize, and now that it has actually happened, I don't even know where to begin."
Looking ahead, Kanika said buying a new home is one of their top priorities, along with supporting their family.
"Right now, we're just incredibly happy and grateful for this win," she said. Encouraging others to participate, she added, "Take this as a sign and try your luck with Big Ticket. You never know when your dream might come true."
Last month, Bahrain-based Indian expat Krishnakumar Syamala Ravindran won the Dh20 million grand prize with ticket number 339729, which he purchased on May 28.
Other winners
During Friday's Series (288) draw, the winners of five consolation prizes were announced, and they were all from India with the exception of Mohamed Atik Hassan, who lives in Bangladesh.
First consolation prize (Dh1 million):
Akhil NB, Indian who lives in Sharjah (ticket number: 128811)
Second consolation prize (Dh1 million):
Mohamed Atik Hassan, a Bangladeshi who lives in Al Ain (ticket number: 359685)
Third consolation prize (Dh1 million):
Shivaprasad Ravindran, an Indian who lives in Abu Dhabi (ticket number: 216730)
Fourth consolation prize (Dh1 million):
Upendran Siju, an Indian expat who lives in Ras Al Khaimah (ticket number: 351508)
Fifth consolation prize (Dh1 million):
Lancy Pals, an Indian who lives in Bangalore (ticket number: 434420)
There was also a lucky winner of a BMW X6 ticket number 028681, Twinkle Alphin from India, currently based in Dubai, who purchased her ticket on 28 June.
The 31-year-old homemaker from Kerala, India, recently relocated to Dubai after previously living in Qatar, while her husband had been based in the UAE. She first learned about Big Ticket through her husband, who has been participating in the draws for several years.
Talking about her journey, Twinkle shared, “My husband and his colleagues have been participating in Big Ticket for many years, and that’s how I first heard about it. He usually purchases the tickets under his own name, but this was the first time we purchased one ourselves under my name. To our surprise, it turned out to be the winning ticket.”
Recalling the winning moment, she added, “When I received the winning call, I was so happy and excited. It still doesn’t feel real, and I’m finding it hard to contain my excitement. This is our first time winning.”
Speaking about their plans, Twinkle shared that they intend to opt for the cash equivalent of the car and are still discussing how they will use the prize money. She added that they may participate in Big Ticket again in the future and said they truly appreciate Big Ticket for the memorable experience.
Big Spin Draw
This month, Big Ticket has also introduced a new game, the Big Spin Draw. For the first time, three participants will take part in the spin event on 3 August next month, where each contestant will have a chance to spin the wheel and win up to Dh1 million.
The three selected Big Spin contestants, chosen from July entries, are:
Contestant 051331: Osama Mahmoud from Jordan, a UAE resident, who purchased his ticket on 10 June.
Contestant 120451: Nithin Joy from India, currently living in Qatar, who purchased his ticket on 28 June.
Contestant 078720: Dinesh Kumar from India, currently based in Abu Dhabi.
All three lucky winners will take part in the very first Big Spin Draw on 3 August.
