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4 expats from Kenya, India win Dh25,000 each in Big Ticket's weekly e-draw
One of the winners said he plans to put his prize money towards his children's school fees and treat his wife to a birthday gift
- PUBLISHED: Tue 18 Aug 2026, 12:26 PM
Four expats from Kenya and India have won Dh25,000 each at Big Ticket's first weekly e-draw for the month of August. The latest winners shared their reaction on finding out they have gotten lucky this time, and what they plan to do with the prize money.
Sayed Kadri
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One of the winners is Sayed Kadri, a 49-year-old Salesman from Kenya, who has been residing there his entire life. He first became interested in Big Ticket after a friend won a cash prize last year, inspiring Sayed to try his own luck. Since then, he has been purchasing tickets individually several times throughout the year.
Sayed's first-ever win came from a randomly selected ticket and came as a big surprise when he received the winning call. The win has also given him renewed confidence to keep trying his luck, with Sayed saying it has "helped his morale."
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Sayed plans to put his prize money towards his children's school fees and treat his wife to a birthday gift. He described Big Ticket as highly beneficial and life-changing and says he will continue participating following his win. Encouraging others to stay hopeful, he said, "Keep trying your luck. You never know when you will win.”
Jyoti Shahani
Jyoti Shahani, a 59-year-old homemaker and tutor from Mumbai, India, has called Dubai home for the past 27 years, where she lives with her family. She first discovered Big Ticket more than 10 years ago and has participated every month since, purchasing this latest ticket as part of a group.
Jyoti and her family chose the winning tickets as a part of combination of her, her husband’s and her daughter’s birthdays, the same numbers they had selected the previous month.
The winning call came through during dinner, and they were “ecstatic” when they heard the prize amount and could hardly believe their luck. The family plans to put the prize money towards education, a cause particularly close to Jyoti’s heart after witnessing her daughter struggle with her studies during the Covid-19 pandemic. She hopes the win will enable her family to give back and help create educational opportunities for others.
Jyoti’s daughter, Khushbhoo, says the family has no plans to stop participating in Big Ticket and describes it as something that “opens the doors of dreams for people.” She encouraged others to remain hopeful, adding, “Whatever is meant for you will not miss you.”
Mohamed Hasan Abdullah
Mohamed Hasan Abdullah, a 62-year-old Plumbing Supervisor from Chennai, has been living in the UAE for the past 12 years, while his family remains in India. He first discovered Big Ticket through newspapers and conversations with others and has been participating every month since. While he initially participated individually, Mohamed now takes part as part of a group.
Mohamed celebrated his first Big Ticket win after selecting a ticket that simply “felt right” to him. He was delighted to receive the winning call, describing the moment as especially meaningful after such a long wait. Mohamed plans to use his share to help finance his children’s education.
He plans to continue participating in future draws and encouraged others to remain hopeful, saying, “People should never lose hope in every aspect of their life. They should always keep their faith.”
Rafi Mohammad
Rafi Mohammad, a 41-year-old businessman from Hyderabad, India, made his first-ever Big Ticket purchase at Abu Dhabi Airport, after buying one ticket. Although he had never participated before, Rafi chose his number based on two numbers he particularly likes, 10 and 46.
Rafi did not initially realise that his ticket had been entered into a weekly draw. It was only after checking YouTube that he discovered he had won, turning his first-ever Big Ticket purchase into an unexpected surprise. The experience has left him delighted that he decided to give Big Ticket a chance.
Rafi plans to invest part of his prize money in gold, while also treating his family, including buying his son an iPhone and a scooter for his daughters. He says he will now continue purchasing Big Ticket entries. He said, "It is all about faith. As long as you have faith, it will all work out."
