UAE: Indian, Filipino expats ring in 2026 with Big Ticket wins

Five expats living in the UAE have kicked off 2026 on a winning note after winning prizes in the latest Big Ticket weekly e-draw, wrapping up the final promotion of 2025 on a high.

Winners from the Philippines, India, and the UAE were announced as Big Ticket closed its December campaign, marking the last set of weekly raffly winners of the year. The Week 4 e-draw not only capped off 2025 but also ushered in the new year with moments of joy, surprise, and celebration for five lucky participants.

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First win of the year

Leading the list of winners was Philip Mathew, originally from India, who became the first Big Ticket winner of 2026. Philip purchased his winning ticket, number 499759, during the final week of the December promotion, making this win even more special as he rang in the new year as a winner.

Another winner was 24-year-old Mohammed Alteneiji, an army serviceman, born and raised in Ras Al Khaimah. Living in the UAE with his family, he has been buying Big Ticket entries independently every month for the past year.

“I couldn’t believe it, I was flying with happiness when I got the call,” he shared. “It felt unreal, and I was in complete shock.” Grateful for the win, his plans are to travel and enjoy the moment. Despite his win, he has no plans of stopping. “I will definitely continue purchasing Big Ticket,” he said.

From Saudi Arabia to a surprise win

Ashar Ali Thottom Kandy, a 36-year-old electronics technician from Kerala, India, also joined the list of winners. Currently working in Saudi Arabia while his family remains in India, Ashar only heard about Big Ticket four months ago through friends at work.

Participating as part of a group of 20 colleagues, he initially thought the winning call was a scam. “I receive a lot of calls, so when I got the winning call, I honestly thought it was a fake ad,” he shared. “But when I realized it was real, it came as a complete surprise and made me extremely happy.” For him, the prize represents security and peace of mind. His plan is to share the winnings with his group and save his portion for the future.

Grateful for the experience, he has no intention of stopping. “I will continue purchasing Big Ticket,” he said. “My message to everyone is to keep trying, God always blesses us.” He also shared a heartfelt note of appreciation to the Big Ticket team.

Meanwhile, Sultan Syed Aboo Thahir Azad, a 46-year-old engineer who has been living in Dubai for 23 years, also welcomed the New Year with an unexpected win. Having purchased tickets intermittently over the years, he said the call came as a complete surprise.

“After the New Year celebrations, it was the first call I woke up to this year,” he said. While still deciding how to use the winnings, Sultan confirmed he has already bought another ticket and plans to continue participating.

“It was completely unexpected,” he shared. “After the New Year celebrations, Richard’s call was the first call I woke up to this year, it was a real surprise.” While he is still waiting to receive the balance before making any decisions, he confirmed that he has already continued his Big Ticket journey by purchasing again. “I will definitely keep buying,” he said.

Expressing his gratitude, he added, “Thank you to the Big Ticket team, this initiative truly plants happiness in our lives. My message to everyone is to keep trying and never give up.”

Completing the list was Nomer Materiano, a 48-year-old salesman from the Philippines who has been living in Abu Dhabi for the past 20 years. He found out on January 1 that he was one of the five weekly winners.

When he first received the news, he thought it was a scam. “With so many scam calls these days, I honestly thought it wasn’t real,” he said. “I didn’t believe it at first, but once I realised it was true, I was very happy. My family and I are starting the year on a good note.”

With his winnings, his plan is to save the money for his son’s future who is currently 11 years old. Grateful for the news, he added, “Thank you very much to the Big Ticket team, I feel very lucky. To everyone participating, my advice is to continue. You never know when your luck might come.”

Elizabeth Gonzales

elizabeth@khaleejtimes.com

Elizabeth Gonzales is a Digital Journalist who loves writing about the expat life — and ways to make the most of it. When she's not looking for new hacks to share with readers, you may find her giving them a real laugh at one of her stand-up comic events.