The United Arab Emirates ushered in the new year with remarkable stories of fortune as five expatriates claimed victory in Big Ticket’s final weekly e-draw of 2025. This celebratory conclusion to the annual promotion series brought unexpected joy to winners from India, the Philippines, and the UAE, creating unforgettable beginnings to 2026.
Philip Mathew, an Indian national, earned the distinction of becoming 2026’s inaugural Big Ticket champion. His winning ticket (#499759), acquired during December’s closing promotional week, transformed his New Year’s celebration into an extraordinary triumph.
The winners’ circle included 24-year-old Emirati army serviceman Mohammed Alteneiji, a Ras Al Khaimah native who had consistently purchased monthly tickets throughout the past year. “I was flying with happiness when I received the call—it felt completely unreal,” he expressed, confirming his continued participation despite the victory.
Notable among the recipients was Ashar Ali Thottom Kandy, a 36-year-old Indian electronics technician working in Saudi Arabia. Initially skeptical about the winning notification, he presumed it was another fraudulent attempt. “When reality set in, this prize represented ultimate security and peace of mind,” Kandy noted, planning to distribute winnings among his twenty-colleague purchasing group.
Dubai-based engineer Sultan Syed Aboo Thahir Azad, a 23-year resident, received the life-altering news as his first telephone alert of 2026. “After New Year celebrations, Richard’s call provided a tremendous surprise,” he acknowledged, having already purchased subsequent tickets in anticipation of future draws.
Completing the quintet of winners was Filipino salesman Nomer Materiano, a two-decade Abu Dhabi resident who initially dismissed the notification as potential fraud. “My family and I are commencing the year under exceptionally favorable circumstances,” he stated, designating his earnings for his son’s educational future.
All recipients expressed profound gratitude toward Big Ticket’s administration while encouraging persistent participation among fellow aspirants, embodying the initiative’s core mission of generating widespread happiness through unexpected fortune.