Saidalavi Kariodan Varichalil, a 44-year-old school watchman from Kerala, India, has struck a significant win in the United Arab Emirates' Big Ticket lottery. Varichalil, a long-term UAE resident, was among five fortunate individuals to win Dh100,000 (approximately ₹26 lakh) in the recent Big Ticket Series 289 draw.
Having resided in the UAE for 17 years, Saidalavi has consistently participated in the monthly raffle for the past four years, often pooling money with friends. His winning ticket was randomly selected by a friend, Anub, surprising both of them. Saidalavi plans to transfer his winnings directly to his family back in India and has already secured an entry for the upcoming draw. "Keep hoping! Your day will come," he encouraged fellow participants.
Two More Kerala Expats Celebrate Wins
The Big Ticket Series 289 also saw two other Indian expats from Kerala secure Dh100,000 prizes, contributing to the overall Dh500,000 prize pool for this tier of winners.
Akhil Chandran R P: Sales Professional's Good Fortune
Akhil Chandran R P, a 28-year-old sales and customer service professional, has been living in the UAE for five years. He has been participating in the Big Ticket draw with friends for seven years. Like Saidalavi, Akhil's ticket was randomly chosen by a friend. He intends to bank his winnings and has also purchased a ticket for the next raffle cycle. "Always buy a ticket, you don't know when your luck will come. One day you will also get lucky like us," Akhil shared.
Sarath Sasidharan: Technician to Use Winnings for Medical Expenses
Sarath Sasidharan, a 33-year-old technician who has called the UAE home since 2007, was introduced to Big Ticket by his coworkers. He regularly participates both individually and as part of a group. Sarath's winning numbers were picked by his mother and daughters. He plans to allocate his portion of the prize money towards medical expenses while continuing to try his luck in future draws. "Thank God and keep trying," he advised.
The remaining two Dh100,000 prizes in Series 289 were awarded to Bangladeshi nationals Arifuzzaman Shuvo and Sabuj Md Delowar Munshi, making it a truly international celebration of wins.