Jay Michael Peralta Gines did not leave his ticket number to chance. The 43-year-old operations support worker from Luzon, Philippines, chose his entry for Big Ticket’s third weekly e-draw in August by combining three dates that anchor his life in Abu Dhabi: his wife’s birthday, their wedding anniversary, and his own birth month.
“I felt there was something meaningful about that combination, so I decided to go with it,” Jay said. That instinct paid off. When the winning call came late at night, he almost did not answer. The hour was uncertain, and so was he. But the voice on the other end was familiar. “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,” he said. Jay has lived in Abu Dhabi for 17 years, building a life in the Gulf alongside his wife, and the win arrived as a reward for patience as much as luck.
His was one of four prizes announced in that draw, each worth AED 25,000. Three other expatriate workers across the Emirates shared the moment, each carrying their own story of persistence.
Kamrul Idrish Miah, a 40-year-old driver from Bangladesh, has called Al Ain home for the same 17 years Jay has spent in Abu Dhabi. He first heard about Big Ticket through friends and joined a monthly group. His number came down to instinct. “I chose the number because I had a good feeling about it,” Kamrul said. “When I received the winning call, I was so happy. I couldn’t believe that I had finally won.” He plans to invest his share in a business and build something lasting for his family. His advice to others is simple: “Keep trying. Everyone has a chance, and one day it could be you.”
Mohammed Mamun, 31, is a businessman from Bangladesh who has lived in Ajman for six years with his brother. He discovered Big Ticket on YouTube two years ago and participates as part of a group of 20 people. When the call came, his first reaction was suspicion. “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,” he said. “When I saw that our number had actually won, it felt like a miracle.” The group had chosen the number at random, making the outcome entirely unexpected. The prize will be shared among all 20 members, with decisions about how to use it made collectively.
Meanwhile, in Abu Dhabi, Binod Sebastian had been waiting for this moment for years. The 41-year-old nurse from Kerala, India, has lived in the city for a decade with his family and participates in Big Ticket as part of a five-person group. A friend in the group selected the winning ticket. “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,” Binod said. He plans to put his share toward daily expenses, and the group will keep buying tickets each month.
Together, these four wins reflect how deeply Big Ticket has taken root among expatriate communities across the Emirates, where group participation and shared hope have become part of the rhythm of monthly life.
The draws do not stop there. Big Ticket’s main live draw takes place on 3 September, where one winner will receive AED 15 million and five additional winners will each take home AED 100,000. The final weekly e-draw of August offers four more customers the chance to win AED 25,000 each, broadcast live at 7:30 PM on Big Ticket’s YouTube channel.
Beyond cash, the Dream Car promotion runs alongside the draws. The Land Rover Defender winner will be announced on 3 September, with the Nissan Patrol winner revealed on 3 October. Customers who purchase tickets during August are automatically entered into The Big Spin, where three participants selected at the September live draw could win up to AED 1 million in cash during the October spin.
Full details of the August promotion are available at https://filipinotimes.net/entertainment/2026/08/31/pinoy-expat-in-abu-dhabi-wins-aed-25000-in-big-ticket-e-draw-using-special-family-dates/. Tickets can be purchased online at www.bigticket.ae or from retail locations across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, with Morafiq stores open daily from 10am to 10pm. For the four winners already celebrating, the question now is what the next chapter looks like, and for the thousands still holding tickets, whether September brings their turn.