Dubai raffle millionaires are mostly from this particular community

Have you wondered about the people who try their luck at raffle tickets at the malls or festivals? Who they are and what community they come from?

People the world over come to the UAE in search of better job opportunities and a better way of life. And for those in search of lady luck, it seems to be her very resting place too.

Who wants to be a Millionaire? It’s the age-old question on everyone’s lips. And in the UAE, the answer is clear: Lots! But the reality is, people are no longer just wanting it, they’re living it.

Over the years, headlines across the country have not been short of rags to riches stories of drivers, cooks, factory workers turning millionaires overnight after landing a big win on pastures new.

From Abu Dhabi’s Big Ticket raffle to Dubai Duty-Free’s Millionaire Draw, these people no longer have to spend years grafting to make the dream a reality. With the quick purchase of a ticket and a whole lot of luck, lives here are changing in a flash. The UAE may be the land of opportunities, but it’s fast becoming the land of dreams too.

Since it first launched back in 1999 to ring in the new millennium, Dubai Duty-Free’s Millionaire Draw has handed over 264 cheques worth $1 million each to visitors and residents of the UAE. And staggeringly, six of those 264 people were two-time winners.

Take Cypriot national Marc Khoury for instance. He first won the raffle in 2004. Speaking to Khaleej Times 14 years on from his first win, the now-retired Khoury said he was channeling a lot of positive energy in the run-up to that draw announcement all those years ago.

“I was confident I would win. I went for high-frequency purchases too; I bought about three or four tickets for every draw. My odds, and the odds, in general, are very favorable for the raffle.”

And after scooping his first $1 million, it was his wife who was first to be treated. But then luck was on his side again in 2009, when he became a millionaire for the second time.

“Now that was a big surprise to the point that I thought someone was pulling my leg. If I remember correctly, the initial call came from a mobile number and I asked to have the call come from Dubai Duty-Free’s official number just to make sure.”

And it was true. Khoury was the 99th winner of the draw. With the second win, he said he decided to stop working and “enjoy life a bit more”. He did a lot more traveling and spoilt the immediate family too, including his grown-up son and Dubai-based daughter.

When asked what the secret to being so lucky is, Khoury said he actually views his wins from a more practical perspective. “There is no secret to luck. I guess I just won due to the frequency of buying the tickets. I’m sure a lot of people won’t accept this though, so fine, I would call it pure luck. As for the secret, I still have no idea myself.”

Indians prove to be luckiest

With each Duty-Free draw comprising a limited series of 5,000 tickets available to departing, arriving and transiting passengers from Dubai International Airport, it seems even in a pool of 5,000, lady luck is on Khoury’s side.

But interestingly, when looking at data from two of the biggest raffle draws in the UAE (Abu Dhabi’s Big Ticket raffle to Dubai Duty-Free’s Millionaire Draw), it’s Indian nationals who are proving to be most lucky. Whether that’s because they buy more tickets or not though, is unknown.

Of the 312 first prize winners for the Big Ticket, since it began in 1992, Indian nationals have scooped 80% of the total winnings. And of the 264 winners of the $1 million at Dubai Duty FreDuty-Free999, Indian winners account for 125 of the total number.

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