Indian expat wins Rs 8 crore in Dubai Duty Free draw

Dubai: A 37-year-old United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Indian national has won a staggering USD one million (Rs 8,77,68,263) in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Draw. It took place at Concourse B of Dubai International Airport (DXB) on Wednesday, September 17.

Abdul Rahman K, who hails from Kerala and works as a sales assistant for a retail company in Sharjah, struck gold in Millennium Millionaire Series 516 with ticket number 4171, purchased online on September 6.

The winning ticket was part of a long-standing group effort. Rahman has been pooling funds with nine friends and colleagues to purchase tickets since 2010, rotating the name on each entry.

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“It’s amazing! Two of my daughters are celebrating their birthdays this month, and now we have even more reason to celebrate. Thank you, Dubai Duty Free,” Rahman said after the win.

He becomes the 259th Indian national to win USD one million through the popular promotion, reflecting the overwhelming participation of Indian expatriates in the long-running draw.

More Indian winners in the spotlight

In addition to Rahman’s windfall, several other Indian expatriates saw their luck soar in the same draw event.

Amit Saraf, a 51-year-old Dubai resident, won a Mercedes-Benz G500 (Obsidian Black) with ticket number 0482, purchased online on August 26. Saraf is no stranger to winning, having previously claimed USD one million twice (in January 2021 and October 2024), a Mercedes-Benz S500 in February 2023, and a Dh 40,000 DDF gift card in December 2023.

Meanwhile, two more Indian nationals walked away with high-end motorbikes:

• Shafeekh Nasarudeen, a 41-year-old based in Umm Al Quwain, won a BMW F 900 GS Adventure with ticket number 0347, which he purchased at DXB Terminal 2 on August 28.

• Olavo Fernandes, a 61-year-old from Abu Dhabi, claimed a Ducati Panigale V2 (Red) with ticket number 0239, purchased online on 27 August. Remarkably, this marks Fernandes’ second win this month, having previously won an Aprilia RSV4 1100 motorbike on September 3.

The Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire and Finest Surprise promotions, launched in 1999, have grown into one of the world’s most recognisable raffles, with consistent participation from Indian nationals, who continue to feature prominently among the winners.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include the tags.

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