Dubai: After more than ten years of steady participation, a Dubai resident has finally seen his persistence rewarded in Abu Dhabi’s Big Ticket draw.
Kaverappa Kiekeryada, a 40-year-old professional working in the oil and gas drilling sector, won Dh50,000 in Big Ticket’s third weekly e-draw of January. Originally from Mangalore, India, he has lived in Dubai for over 15 years with his wife and two children, building a life while quietly holding on to the hope that one day, his ticket number might come up.
That moment arrived unexpectedly.
A decade-long wait finally ends
Kaverappa said this was his first-ever Big Ticket win despite trying for more than a decade. Like many long-term participants, he discovered the raffle through social media and continued buying tickets regularly, never knowing if or when luck would turn in his favour.
Over the years, he watched other winners celebrate life-changing prizes while he kept entering quietly, without expectations. “You keep trying, but you don’t really think about winning anymore,” he said, describing how the draw became more of a routine than a dream.
This time, however, the routine delivered a surprise.
A shared win with friends
For the January e-draw, Kaverappa joined a group purchase with five friends, a common approach among Big Ticket participants looking to improve their odds while sharing costs.
When the call came announcing the win, he said he initially thought it was a mistake. Only after speaking with his friends did the reality sink in. Although the Dh50,000 prize will be split, Kaverappa said the joy of finally winning mattered more than the amount.
“The happiness was not just mine. It was for all of us,” he said, adding that the group celebrated together once the news was confirmed.
Plans for the prize money
Kaverappa said his share of the winnings will go toward supporting his family and managing everydayresponsibilities. He also plans to set aside part of the amount for charitable causes, something he described as important after receiving unexpected good fortune.
For him, the win serves as both financial relief and emotional validation after years of participation.
More weekly winners announced
Kaverappa was not the only lucky participant in the draw. In total, four residents from India and Pakistan won Dh50,000 each in the same weekly e-draw, highlighting the broad regional participation Big Ticket continues to attract.
Weekly e-draws have become an increasingly popular feature of the raffle, offering participants smaller but more frequent chances to win while building anticipation for the main prize.
Big prizes still up for grabs
Big Ticket’s January campaign remains underway, with a Dh20 million grand prize yet to be drawn. In addition, the campaign includes five consolation prizes of Dh1 million each, keeping excitement high among thousands of participants.
With just one weekly e-draw remaining before the main draw, organisers expect interest to intensify as ticket holders wait to see if their patience, like Kaverappa’s, finally pays off.
For now, his story stands as a reminder familiar to many long-term participants: sometimes, persistence takes years to show results, but when it does, it arrives without warning.
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Oil and gas professional shares Dh50,000 prize with friends after a group ticket entry pays off.
Photo: Supplied
