‘Dream is a Dubai villa’: Kerala businessman wins Dh20 million Big Ticket prize

For Shamon Shaji, the moment that changed his life came while he was sitting in a parked car at City Walk in Dubai, watching the Big Ticket draw live on his phone with his family.

“As it was Friday, I was out with my family. I did not want to step out, as it was time for the draw, so I stayed back and watched it,” he said.

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As the numbers were announced one by one, Shamon began to recognise them. But instead of immediate celebration, the moment turned tense. 

“When the first few numbers matched, I realised they were mine. But after that, I became very tense. I wasn’t sure if I would win. With every number, the tension kept increasing,” he said.

Minutes later, his phone rang. “The first two calls got disconnected, and the pressure was building to receive the calls. Then the third time, I answered, and that’s when they confirmed it,” he said. Shamon won the Dh20 million Big Ticket prize.

What made the moment even more special was that he wasn’t alone. Sitting beside him in the car were his wife, daughter, son, and close family members, all watching the draw unfold together.

“We were all in the same car: my wife, my son, my daughter, my father-in-law and my mother-in-law. We were watching it together,” he said.

Originally from Kerala, Shamon is a businessman and has been visiting Dubai for the past three years, though his main business is back home in India.

“My family is residing in Dubai, and I keep travelling between Dubai and Kochi,” he said.

Unlike many long-time participants, Shamon’s journey with Big Ticket is recent but consistent. “I have been buying tickets for the last few months. I always participated alone,” he said.

That steady habit has now paid off in a life-changing way. When asked about the first person he shared the news with, Shamon said he immediately reached out to his family.

“First, I spoke to my father back home. Then I informed my business partner here,” he said. 

Now, with Dh20 million in hand, Shamon already has clear plans for the future. “Inshallah, I want to buy a villa in Dubai. I also want to start and expand my business here,” he said.

For Shamon and his family, what began as a routine moment, sitting in a parked car and watching a live draw, has now turned into a memory they will never forget.