It was a dream come true for at least five Indians living in cities across the UAE when they either won weekly draws or lotteries, the latest one being a control room operator who won a whopping Rs 45 crore. Indians, most of them coming from the middle class or lower middle class, have been participating in large numbers in these lotteries, and a significant number of them have won big money over the last few years.
The control room operator in the oil and gas industry was identified as Sreeju, who won the Dh 20,000,000 (approximately Rs 45 crore) Mahzooz Saturday Millions, according to the announcement of the 154th draw held on Wednesday.
Hailing from Kerala, Sreeju, 39, has been living and working in Fujairah, about 120 kilometers east of Dubai, for the past 11 years. After the news of his incredible win reached him while he was at work, he said he was "speechless, shocked, and surprised" to know that he had won not just a prize but the top prize.
"I was in my car about to drive around when I checked my Mahzooz account, and I couldn't believe my eyes. I was confused about what to do when I saw my winnings. I waited for that call from Mahzooz to confirm that my winning was true," the Gulf News quoted Sreeju, father of twin six-year-olds, as saying.
He now plans to purchase a home in India without any financial liabilities.
"To date, our weekly draws have created 64 millionaires and distributed close to half a billion dirhams to more than 1,107,000 winners, adding an incredibly positive spin to their stories of victory," Suzan Kazzi, Head of Communications and CSR of Mahzooz Saturday Millions, said at a press conference.
Another Indian won the raffle prize with Emirates Draw FAST5 last Saturday, the Gulf News said. Sarath Sivadasan from Kerala, a 36-year-old procurement professional residing in Dubai, won Dh50,000 (approximately Rs 11 lakh) within just two months of participation.
While Sarath is still processing his unexpected win, one thing remains clear: his commitment to playing with Emirates Draw.
Earlier, on November 9, the Gulf News reported that India's Manoj Bhavsar was among the winners of the Emirates Draw's FAST5 game last Saturday.
Bhavsar, a 42-year-old electronics technician from Mumbai, has been staying for the last 16 years in Abu Dhabi. He won Dh75,000 (about Rs 16 lakh) in the FAST5 raffle, the report said.
"I called my mother as soon as I received the congratulatory email, but I kept the news a secret for a while. Instead, I asked her to watch the live draw stream, and the moment she saw my name on the screen, she yelled with joy," Bhavsar said.
He plans to finally settle the debt that has burdened him for the past two years.
On November 8, the Gulf News reported that an Indian shipping manager, Anil Gianchandani, won $1 million in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire promotion held at the Dubai International Airport.
Gianchandani, 60, who works in Sharjah and is a father of two, hails from Delhi.
He is the 219th Indian national to have won $1 million in the Millennium Millionaire promotion since 1999.
Indian nationals are the biggest buyers of the tickets, the report said.
Another report on November 8 said there were two Indians among the winners of the Mahzooz Saturday Millions to receive Dh100,000 each (Rs 22 lakh approximately), one of them from the UAE.
Fire and safety technician Sherien, 50, living in the UAE for two decades, "found it hard to believe as it marked his first time winning such a substantial prize," the Gulf News said.
He is married and has an 11-year-old son who lives back home in India.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
Ukrainian Drones Hit High-Rise Buildings In Elite Residential Complex In Russia
"When Confidence Drops...": Australia Great's Clear Verdict On Rohit Sharma's Form Indian Bowlers Show 'Relentless Effort' At Net Session Ahead Of Boxing Day Test "Few Plans Against Those...": Australia Teenager's Warning For Indian Bowlers Ahead Of 4th Test Parents On Mumbai Ferry Wanted To Toss Children In Sea. Rescuers Stopped Them Man Accidentally Drops iPhone In Temple Box. Why He Won't Get It Back Poll Rules Tweak Makes Electronic Records Harder To Get, Sparks Row Trump's Deportation Plans Might Take Backseat As ICE Faces Budget Shortage Poll Rules Tweak Makes Electronic Records Harder To Get, Sparks Row 15-Hour Shift, Verbal Abuse: Techie Exposes Startup's Toxic Work Culture Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.