Luck smiled on a Pakistani expat in the UAE as he won AED250,000 (over Rs19 million) in the Big Ticket weekly ‘e-draw series’ held in Abu Dhabi.

According to Gulf News, the winner, Nadeem Afzal, a Pakistani national residing in the UAE, purchased the winning ticket (number 272-339880) online.

Expressing excitement over his win, he called it an unexpected stroke of luck.

Another winner in the same draw was Edward Fernandes, a 58-year-old Portuguese national who has been living in Dubai for 29 years. Fernandes, who has been trying his luck since 2004, finally hit the jackpot after two decades of consistent participation.

“I don’t even remember how I first heard about Big Ticket back in 2004, but when I got the call informing me about my win, I knew something special had happened,” Fernandes said.

He added, “If Richard is calling, it must be something big.”

Fernandes plans to use his winnings to pay off some debts and, most importantly, cover his son’s medical expenses.

However, he has no plans to stop trying his luck and is eagerly looking forward to future draws.

“I’ve already bought multiple tickets for the upcoming March 3 draw. If I win the grand prize, I have big dreams and many hopes to fulfill,” he shared.