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UAE: Indian expat wins Big Ticket's grand prize twice, hits Dh15 million with 2 friends this time
After winning the first time, he says he felt he had 'the luck of the green and continued buying tickets'
Supplied photo
Many dream of getting a prize at Big Ticket Abu Dhabi, even just a minor one, once in their lifetime. But an Indian expat is certainly among the luckiest as he won the top prize in the draw — twice.
Pradeep Kumar, who hails from the south Indian state of Kerala, is the latest Big Ticket millionaire, scooping Dh15 million in the latest draw. He will be sharing the jackpot with his two childhood friends, who pitched in for the ticket.
"I bought the ticket from the in-store counter at the Abu Dhabi airport while flying to Mumbai and then onwards to Thiruvananthapuram, and my return ticket was from Chennai. I took these two-stop connecting flights considering cheaper airfares,” said Kumar, who has been working as a control room operator at an offshore company.
This is the second time that Kumar, a UAE resident since 1986, has got lucky.
“I once hit the top prize of Dh100,000 way back in 1996. Back then that was the only first-place raffle draw prize available, and tickets used to cost Dh100. I felt I had the luck of the green and continued buying tickets,” said Kumar, now in his 50s.
He has been randomly buying tickets for more than 10 years now.
“I have been trying my luck every two to three months. I have been purchasing either alone or with my friends. I will be sharing the prize with two of my friends Robinson and Dr Haneefa. We are all childhood friends from Thiruvananthapuram,” he said.
Kumar is settled in his life with his wife, a son, and a daughter. “My children are working back in India. My son is married, and my daughter is next. I plan to start a farm in Thiruvananthapuram.”
Hours after landing in Abu Dhabi, Kumar was back at work today, saying celebrations can wait as his job was more important.
“I could have taken a day off today and celebrated, but I am back at work as my colleague is waiting at the workplace. I am his reliever. He can leave only after handing over today’s duty to me. Celebrations can wait. We must remain humble in our lives,” he said before hitting offshore.
And he will continue to buy tickets, which according to him is the only way to win.
“Actually, my friend wanted to pool money last time around but missed. So, I have told him now that we will buy the next ticket together. What if I get lucky for a third time?”
For the first time, Big Ticket is giving away 100 prizes to 100 lucky winners this month. Raffle draw series 252, to be held on June 3, will be for a grand prize of Dh20 million. Until May 31, tickets can be purchased online through the Big Ticket website www.bigticket.ae, or by visiting the in-store counters at Abu Dhabi International Airport and Al Ain Airport.
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