Delightful Win! Indian Dad Hits ?33 Crore Jackpot With Kids' Birth Dates On Ticket

Rajeev Arikkatt, an Indian immigrant living in the UAE, found himself in the spotlight as cheers and celebrations filled the air for his incredible win of 15 million dirhams (about ? 33 crore) in the Big Ticket Abu Dhabi weekly draw.

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This unexpected windfall was a delightful surprise for Rajeev, who won the bonus raffle draw number 260 with ticket number 037130, as reported by Khaleej Times.

Lucky charm for Rajeev Arikkatt's jackpot win

Rajeev, who has been enthusiastically participating in the Big Ticket draws for the past three years, is a dedicated worker at an architectural firm in Al Ain.

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He shared his joy at home with his wife and their two young children, ages five and eight. The winning ticket, featuring the birthdays of his beloved children, held a touching significance.

Still caught up in the whirlwind of his newfound luck, Rajeev is taking his time to figure out what to do with this remarkable windfall.

Rajeev Arikkatt to share jackpot with 19 others

However, the winner plans to share the prize money equally with 19 others, spreading the joy and turning his win into a communal celebration.

"I've been a part of the Al Ain community for over a decade now. I've been buying tickets for three years straight. This is the first time luck has smiled upon me in the lottery realm. My wife and I decided to go with numbers 7 and 13, which happen to be our kids' birthdays. Just two months back, I narrowly missed winning Dh1 million with the same combination, but this time luck was on my side," Rajeev shared with Khaleej Times regarding the ticket purchased on January 11.

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This 40-year-old man from Kerala had high hopes for the lottery draw, having purchased a total of six tickets. Surprisingly, it was the complimentary ticket that won him the jackpot.

"I got a special deal from Big Ticket, where I received four tickets for free when I bought two. While I always had hopes of winning, this time around, with six tickets in the draw, my expectations were sky-high."

Recalling the moment when the hosts Richard and Bouchra called him, he said, "I was at a loss for words. I couldn't express how I felt. I recognized Richard's voice instantly, as I've been listening to him for years. I knew he called out the winners, but I never imagined it would be for the first prize. It was a complete surprise. This moment is life-changing, not just for me but for our entire group."

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