UAE: Indian nurse wins Dh30 million in Big Ticket raffle
Pakistani expat takes home Maserati in dream car draw
An Indian expat living in Bahrain has won the Dh30 million jackpot in the first Big Ticket raffle draw of 2025.
Manu Mohanan, a nurse who has been residing in Bahrain for seven years, held the lucky ticket number 535948, purchased on December 26.
During a live call with Big Ticket hosts Richard and Bouchra, Manu expressed disbelief upon hearing the life-changing news. “Really? I can’t believe it. Thank you so much,” he said. He revealed that he had been pooling resources with over a dozen friends to buy tickets regularly for over five years.
Dh30 million jackpot
Manu’s winning ticket was part of a free coupon he received under the Big Ticket promotion, where buying two tickets earns a third free. The draw, held on Friday evening, saw his name emerge from the drum, marking the largest prize giveaway by the lottery operator this year.
The announcement came with an additional emotional twist as the host Richard was assisted by last month’s winner, Indian expat Aravind Appukuttan, who had won Dh25 million. “Many of us have debts to clear, and this money will help us start anew,” Aravind said, reflecting on his own experience of sharing the winnings with 19 others.
Dream car draw
The raffle also awarded a luxury car to Pakistani expat Shakirullah Khan, whose ticket number 031944 won him a Maserati Ghibli in the dream car draw. Meanwhile, four other participants received instant cash prizes ranging up to Dh100,000.
Earlier this week, Indian banker Georgina George won Dh1 million in a spontaneous weekly purchase.
Running for over three decades, Big Ticket remains a popular lottery among UAE residents and expats, symbolising hope and opportunity. As the buzz continues, January’s upcoming draw is set to offer a Dh25 million grand prize, along with weekly Dh1 million giveaways.