Winning numbers built from wedding and birthday dates carried a Luzon-born operations worker to an AED 25,000 payout in Big Ticket’s newest weekly E-draw — a prize he nearly slept through.
Jay Michael Peralta Gines, 43, was in bed when his phone rang late at night, and the timing left him uncertain about answering at all. Recognition settled the matter. “It was quite late, so at first I wasn’t sure whether to pick up. But as soon as I heard Richard’s voice, I recognised him and realised what was happening. I was so happy to find out that I had finally won,” said Gines, who has spent 17 years in Abu Dhabi with his wife and works in Operations Support.
His ticket carried personal weight rather than luck. “I combined three dates that are very special to me – my wife’s birthday, our anniversary and my birth month. I felt there was something meaningful about that combination, so I decided to go with it,” he said. A regular player since 2023, Gines found the platform through social media and buys in each month alongside a group of eight. He intends to spend his share and keep entering. “Big Ticket has helped many people turn their dreams into reality, and I believe everyone has their own chance,” he said.
Gines was one of four names drawn in the third weekly E-draw for August, with the group spanning the Philippines, India and Bangladesh — the latest additions to a lengthening list of UAE expats rewarded through the platform.
Skepticism nearly cost Mohammed Mamun his celebration. The 31-year-old businessman, six years in Ajman and living with his brother, assumed the call was a scam. “When I first received the call, I thought it might be spam. I didn’t believe it straight away, so I went on YouTube to check the result for myself. When I saw that our number had actually won, it felt like a miracle,” he said. He had played monthly for two years within a 20-person group whose randomly chosen number delivered his first win, and the members plan to settle together on how to divide the money.
A randomly selected ticket also proved decisive for Binod Sebastian, a 41-year-old nurse from Kerala who has built a decade of life in Abu Dhabi with his family. A friend chose the number on behalf of their five-person group. “One of my friends selected the winning ticket for us, so when I received the call, I was very happy. We have been participating together for many years, and it felt good to finally see our group win,” Sebastian said. He plans to cover everyday costs with his portion, and the group will continue buying in monthly.
Rounding out the winners were two Bangladeshi expats who both trusted their instincts. Kamrul Idrish Miah, a 40-year-old driver settled in Al Ain for 17 years, went with a gut feeling. “I chose the number because I had a good feeling about it. When I received the winning call, I was so happy. I couldn’t believe that I had finally won,” he said. Miah aims to channel his winnings into a family business and keep playing, urging others that anyone’s turn can arrive.
