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'Lost my first $1 million jackpot': 2-time Dubai Duty Free winner plans to invest in UAE
Speaking to Khaleej Times from his home in Beirut, Labaki said he was having coffee with his sister when he received the latest winning call.
- PUBLISHED: Thu 30 Jul 2026, 6:00 AM UPDATED: Thu 30 Jul 2026, 9:05 PM
A Lebanese businessman who won $1 million in the Dubai Duty Free draw for the second time has said that he plans to keep and invest his latest prize in the UAE after losing his first jackpot.
Antoine Labaki, a 53-year-old construction business owner from Beirut, became only the 12th person to win the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire promotion twice.
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His ticket number 3360 in Millennium Millionaire Series 551, which he purchased online on July 17, was selected during a draw held at Dubai International Airport on Wednesday.
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Labaki had previously won $1 million in August 2018. He had also won a BMW 745Li in the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise promotion in August 2004, making this his third major prize.
Speaking to Khaleej Times from his home in Beirut, Labaki said he was having coffee with his sister when he received the latest winning call.
He immediately understood what had happened because he recognised the person calling him from Dubai Duty Free.
“The person who called me was the same person I knew from the last time,” he said. “When he asked me about my ticket number, I knew that I had won.”
His sister was the first person to hear the news, while his wife and three children later joined the celebrations.
“Everybody is happy, and they all want to come with me for the celebration,” he said.
Could not invest first win
Labaki said his first $1 million prize was transferred to Beirut, but he was later unable to use the money as planned. "I transferred the first $1 million to Beirut, but I could not invest it and I lost it," he said.
The experience has changed the way he plans to handle his latest winnings. This time, Labaki said he intends to keep the money in Dubai, invest it in the city and possibly use part of it to buy a house.
"I will keep it in Dubai and invest in Dubai. Maybe I will buy a house, and I am also planning to open a business in the safest city, which is Dubai according to me," said Labaki.
Labaki, who runs a construction business in Lebanon, said he was considering starting a similar venture in the UAE.
He said moving to Dubai had already been on his mind before he won the latest jackpot. The new prize has now made those plans more realistic for him and his family.
"I love Dubai, and my family loves Dubai as well. For me, it is the best place in the world. It is 100 per cent safe," he said.
Buying tickets since 2004
Labaki's has been associated with the Dubai Duty Free for more than two decades. In 2004, he purchased a ticket while passing through Dubai International Airport. He was in a hurry at the time and did not think much about it.
After reaching Beirut, he received a call the following day informing him that he had won a BMW. “I was at Dubai airport and bought a ticket while I was in a hurry,” he recalled. “I reached Beirut, and the next day they called me and told me that I had won the BMW.”
After Dubai Duty Free introduced its $1 million promotion, Labaki continued to participate. However, he said he did not purchase tickets every month and usually entered only two or three times a year.
“I always participate because I trust Dubai and I trust Dubai Duty Free,” he said.
Now, after becoming a winner for the third time, Labaki plans to participate more regularly. “I will continue buying tickets. Maybe now I will buy every month.”
'Dubai gave me the world'
Labaki said he had always believed that he could win again through Dubai. “I love Dubai, and I knew that I would win again, because the city gives a lot to people,” he said.
He now plans to travel to the UAE with his family to celebrate the win and explore his plans to invest and begin a new chapter in the country.
Asked what would be the most emotional moment when he arrives in Dubai after his latest win, Labaki said it would be returning to the place that had transformed his life three times. “Dubai Duty Free gave me the world,” he said.
SM Ayaz Zakir is a Senior Correspondent with a flair for extraordinary stories. His playground? Every corner of the UAE. He often ventures into remote corners of the country to capture compelling news and human interest stories.