After more than 20 years of working as a driver in Dubai, the Indian expatriate has finally been rewarded for his perseverance. Basheer Kaipurath, a 57-year-old man from Kerala who has lived in the UAE for 25 years, won Dh100,000 (about ₹24 lakh) in the Big Ticket e-draw.
Basheer, who has spent over two decades behind the wheel in Dubai, won the prize with ticket number 276640. According to Gulf News, he had been buying Big Ticket entries every month for the past two years, thinking that his luck would one day be on his side.
That long wait ended last month.
How did he react to the win?
When Big Ticket host Richard shared the news, Basheer was clearly taken aback. Unsure if he heard correctly, he replied: “Dh100,000? Did I win?”
Despite being reassured, he repeated the words in disbelief: “Yes, I bought a big ticket. Dh100,000, huh?”
As the reality of winning hit, Basheer’s hesitation turned to happiness. He simply said, “Okay, thank you. I’m very happy.”
What will he do with the prize money?
Basheer said he plans to use part of the winnings to support his family in India. He also confirmed that he will continue to buy Big Ticket tickets in the hope that more luck will come his way.
The announcement comes just months after another Indian expat made headlines by winning the biggest UAE lottery prize in history ₹240 million crowns. The historic draw took place on October 18 as part of the 23rd Lucky Day event.
The winning combination was the jackpot number 251018, which made Boll a multi-millionaire after successfully matching all seven numbers. He was said to have been living in the United Arab Emirates for about a year and a half at the time of his victory.
Speaking to TOI, Bolla said his immediate plans are straightforward. “First, I plan to buy a supercar and treat myself to a one-month stay in a seven-star hotel.”
Who won the record UAE lottery?
The massive jackpot was won by 29-year-old Anilkumar Bolla Madhavrao Bolla, who beat odds of more than 1 in 8.8 million. Reacting to the news, he said he was “shocked” to learn of the life-changing win.
