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Big Ticket’s weekly winners: From Oman to Qatar and beyond

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8 months ago

April 25, 2025

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Five winners have each walked away with Dh150,000 in Big Ticket’s third weekly e-draw, a much-awaited highlight for players hoping to strike it rich.

Minhaz Chowdhury, a 38-year-old Bangladeshi national living in Oman for over 15 years, is one of the lucky winners. He has been participating in Big Ticket for four years, often buying tickets alongside a group of ten friends. Despite trying his luck for so long, he was shocked when he received the winning call. “At first, I thought it was the Grand Prize, but when I heard it was the e-draw, I was still really happy,” Minhaz shared.

Minhaz plans to use the money to build a new home and also hopes to give back by supporting charitable causes.

Qatar-resident Rabiul Hassan, a 29-year-old driver from Chittagong, Bangladesh, was another lucky winner. Rabiul discovered Big Ticket through a Facebook ad about two to three years ago. Since then, he’s been regularly buying tickets with a group of four friends. “When I got the winning call, I was so excited, I felt like jumping!” he said. His winnings will allow him to take his family on a vacation they’ve been dreaming of for over three years.

Packeer Ahamed Maraikhan, 38, an Indian expat working in the UAE, has been buying Big Ticket tickets for four to five years. After a long night shift, Packeer missed the first two calls informing him of his win. It was only when he was heading for prayer that he noticed the missed calls. “I never expected this. It’s a great surprise, and I’m really happy.” He plans to use the prize money to support his family.

Dubai-resident Joji Isac, a 43-year-old engineer from Kerala, India, heard about Big Ticket through his friends in 2010 and started purchasing tickets from 2011. Joji, who usually buys tickets as part of a group of six friends, was ecstatic when he received the winning call. “A win is always a win,” he said.

Devadutt Vasudevan, another winner, bought his winning ticket online and has expressed his sheer excitement at the win. He said that he’s thrilled to be part of the Big Ticket success story.

As part of its April promotion, Big Ticket is giving away Dh25 million, with weekly cash prizes and the chance to win luxury cars. Every Thursday, five winners are chosen in the weekly e-draw, with each winner taking home Dh150,000. To add to the excitement, Big Ticket is running a special offer throughout April — buy two tickets and get two free.

All tickets purchased in April are eligible for the weekly e-draws.

Additionally, two luxury cars will be given away in the coming months. The Range Rover Velar will be won on May 3, and the BMW M440i will find its new owner on June 3. Tickets are available for purchase online or at counters located in Zayed International Airport and Al Ain Airport.

Related Topics:bigticket bigticketabudhabi bigticketwinners e-draw raffle raffledraw weeklywinners

Michael Gomes

With over 35 years of experience in journalism, copywriting, and PR, Michael Gomes is a seasoned media professional deeply rooted in the UAE’s print and digital landscape.

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Dubai-India travel: Security procedures triggered for Emirates flight following bomb threat email, flight lands safely

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2 days ago

December 5, 2025

Michael Gomes

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Authorities at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport activated full emergency protocols on Friday after receiving a bomb threat email linked to Emirates flight EK526 travelling from Dubai (DXB) to Hyderabad (HYD).

According to GMR officials, the threat email landed in the airport’s customer support inbox around 7.30am on December 5. Despite the alert, the flight continued under strict monitoring and landed safely at 8.30am.

Once on the ground, the aircraft was immediately moved to an isolated bay. Passengers were safely deboarded, and security te

ams carried out standard bomb threat checks. Investigations are currently underway.

Emirates confirmed the incident in a statement to local media, saying authorities had alerted them to a “potential security threat” to EK526.
“All standard security procedures were implemented by the relevant local authorities with full co-operation from Emirates’ ground teams,” the airline said, adding that “the safety and well-being of passengers and crew remain the highest priority.”

Authorities say all threats are being investigated, and extra security measures remain in place at the airport.

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Driving through Abu Dhabi this week? Here are the road closures you need to know about

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2 days ago

December 5, 2025

Michael Gomes

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Abu Dhabi motorists can expect some delays over the next few days, with the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) announcing a series of partial road closures across key routes in the capital. Drivers are being urged to plan, allow extra travel time, and follow diversions to avoid congestion.

Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street

A major set of phased lane closures will take place near Sheikh Zayed Bridge from Tuesday, December 9 to Monday, December 22, 2025.

Three left lanes will be closed from 12am on December 9 until 10pm on December 15.
Two right lanes will then shut from 10pm on December 15 until 6am on December 22.

Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Street

Another temporary closure is scheduled on Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Street from 5pm on December 5 until 5am on December 8.

Authorities explained that these restrictions are part of ongoing road enhancement projects designed to improve traffic flow and safety across the city. Motorists are encouraged to use alternative routes wherever possible during the maintenance period.

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Sharjah Police give deadline to remove National Day stickers, or face fines

Published

2 days ago

December 5, 2025

Michael Gomes

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If your car is still sporting National Day decals, it’s time to take them off. Sharjah Police have announced that all vehicle owners must remove their UAE National Day celebration stickers by Saturday, December 6, and those who miss the deadline will face violations.

The reminder follows a crackdown during the 54th Eid Al Etihad celebrations, where authorities impounded 106 vehicles and nine motorbikes for dangerous and irresponsible behaviour on the roads.

According to Sharjah Police, the violations included:

Creating loud noise and disturbing residents
Driving recklessly and endangering others
Operating vehicles without a valid licence

Police officials urged motorists to celebrate responsibly and avoid turning festivities into safety risks.

However, there has been a shift in decorating trends this year. Many residents opted for cleaner, simpler, more elegant designs to showcase their UAE pride ahead of the long weekend, and demand for custom decals surged.

Authorities are now urging residents to ensure all celebratory stickers and decorations are removed by the set deadline to keep roads safe and avoid penalties.