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Kerala nurse wins Dh25,000 on second Big Ticket purchase in weekly e-draw
From a first-time winner to long-time participants, four Indian expats had unique journeys to their shared Dh100,000 prize, with each already considering different ways to spend their winnings
- PUBLISHED: Tue 25 Aug 2026, 12:25 PM
Four participants from India each walked away with Dh25,000 in Big Ticket’s second weekly e-draw for August, bringing their combined winnings to Dh100,000.
From a first-time winner to long-time participants who have kept trying their luck for years, each winner had a different journey to their unexpected cash prize.
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Muhammed Zahir
For Indian expat Muhammed Zahir, an online Big Ticket purchase turned into an unexpected win when his ticket, 290-094275, was selected in the draw.
Zahir was delighted to learn that his ticket had won, marking an exciting moment for the participant as he took home Dh25,000.
Sajid Khan
For 56-year-old businessman Sajid Khan, the win came after nearly three decades of living in the UAE and years of participating in Big Ticket.
Originally from Pune, India, Khan has lived in the UAE for almost 33 years. He first began participating in Big Ticket several years ago, usually purchasing tickets individually whenever he decided to enter.
His first win came through a randomly selected ticket, but the news still came as a surprise. Khan had initially believed Big Ticket only held monthly draws and was pleasantly surprised to discover that his ticket had won one of the weekly draws.
The Dh25,000 prize has already given him an idea of how he would like to spend it, treating his children to a holiday.
After years of participating, Khan said he plans to continue entering future draws. Sharing his advice with fellow participants, he kept it simple: “Be in it to win it.”
Thomas Geevarghese
For 64-year-old civil engineer Thomas Geevarghese, the win was the result of months of participation and a ticket purchased together with his group.
Originally from Kerala, India, Geevarghese has lived in the UAE for the past 20 years. He first heard about Big Ticket through friends and has since participated every month, sometimes buying tickets individually and at other times joining a group of four.
This time, his winning ticket was purchased with his group.
When Richard from Big Ticket called to tell him the news, Geevarghese initially found it difficult to believe. He opened the Big Ticket livestream himself and saw the result before finally realising that he had won.
The randomly selected ticket marked his first Big Ticket win after months of participation.
With his family based in India, Geevarghese plans to put his share of the prize into savings. He also intends to continue participating in future draws.
Describing Big Ticket as “very good for the public", he said he hoped his win would encourage others to take part, adding: “It is so helpful for everyone, and I hope it gets to help you like it will help me.”
Manikantan Mohanan Maniyan Mohanan
For 39-year-old nurse Manikantan Mohanan Maniyan Mohanan, the win came sooner than expected.
Originally from Kerala, India, Manikantan purchased his latest Big Ticket from the Abu Dhabi Airport store, having participated only once before. He entered individually and selected his ticket number at random, with no expectation that his second-ever purchase would bring him his first win.
The winning call left Manikantan “very happy” and pleasantly surprised. Having only recently started participating in Big Ticket, he said the unexpected win has encouraged him to continue taking part. He has not yet decided how he will use the prize money but is considering putting it into savings.
The latest winners join Big Ticket’s growing list of participants who have won through its weekly draws, as the August promotion enters its final stretch.
The month’s biggest prize will be revealed during the live draw on 3 September, when one lucky winner will take home Dh15 million. Five more winners will each receive Dh100,000 during the same draw.
