Brijaesh Madambi Bhaskaran, a 44-year-old Indian expatriate living in Ajman, has won a 200-gram, 24-karat gold bar in Big Ticket's second weekly e-draw of October. The winning ticket was randomly drawn from a pool held by a group of six friends who had split the cost of entry between them.
Speaking after the draw, Bhaskaran said he could barely believe the news at first. "I was so happy when I found out that we had won. I honestly couldn't believe it at first," he said. He added that he and his friends have been regular entrants in Big Ticket draws for years, but this was the first time luck had gone their way.
Big Ticket is one of the UAE's longest-running legal draws, handing out prizes ranging from luxury cars and cash to gold bars through regular weekly and monthly draws. Entrants can buy tickets individually or pool money as a group, splitting any winnings according to an arrangement made in advance, as Bhaskaran's group of friends did.
The win has once again drawn attention to how popular these draws remain among the UAE's expatriate communities, particularly in smaller emirates like Ajman, where many residents buy tickets each month hoping their turn will eventually come.