Big Ticket Abu Dhabi: Pakistani expat dreamt of winning Dh15 million days before draw

He bought the ticket number 071808 on October 31

Ashwani Kumar

Published: Wed 3 Nov 2021, 8:51 PM

Last updated: Wed 3 Nov 2021, 9:37 PM

Pakistan expat Shahid Mahmood won Dh15 million in the Abu Dhabi Big Ticket raffle draw held on Wednesday. And a few days back he had a dream that he would win this time.

Mahmood, who is based in Abu Dhabi, bought the ticket number 071808 on October 31.

“It was on October 30. I had a dream that I had won Dh15 million and I am talking to (draw host) Richard. I was also rehearsing what I have to say as a winner. And then suddenly I woke up. It was 3am. That day, I told my brother to purchase the ticket online,” Mahmood said after winning.

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Mahmood, who has been living in the Capital since March 2007, said he has been buying tickets for five to six years.

“We are two major partners and a few other friends are all there who pool money to purchase tickets. I always used to purchase after 20th of every month but this time I somehow left it late and then I had the dream," he said.

Mahmood, a 35-year-old father of four kids, was ecstatic when Richard called him.

“I was watching the draw live. My heartbeat was racing during the draw. Meanwhile, I was also watching the India-Afghanistan T20 World Cup match. I am feeling on top of the world now,” said the operation supervisor at a private company.

The ticket’s lion’s share will be pocketed by Mahmood and his roommate Safeer Ahmed.

“Safeer is not just my roommate, but like my brother. He has gone on a vacation to Pakistan. He will return soon. We will then decide what to do with the prize money. We all have financial needs. We will plan judiciously,” he said.

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