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UAE: 9 expats bag over Dh100,000 each at Mahzooz draw

Dubai - The winners said the prize money will help fulfil their longstanding dreams and goals.

The weekly live Mahzooz draw this week transformed not one but nine lives – with nine lucky winners sharing the Dh1 million second prize of the draw. All participants matched five out of the six winning numbers and bagged Dh111,111 each.

Excited about the life-changing windfall, the winners said the prize money will help fulfil their longstanding dreams and goals, which range from buying a vehicle or house and securing their children’s education, to supporting family members.

For Indian expat Venkatesan, who works as a supervisor in a facilities management company, the prize money is a means to buy a car for his family back home.

“Having a vehicle would improve the quality of my family’s life so much. It will be a big surprise for them and will make their life easier,” the 36-year-old Dubai resident said.

British national Steven and his family also have their sights set on a new car. “Besides that, I will also use this money to help my wife’s family in the Philippines buy land and build their dream house,” the 48-year-old Dubai-based manager said.

For Indian nationals David and Varghese, the prize money will help in paying off loans of their newly purchased homes.

Varghese, 30, said the winnings have ensured debt-free homeownership for him, which he said is a big relief.

“I always dreamt of owning a house without a loan. Mahzooz has made that dream come for me at such a young age. This unexpected win has truly changed the course of my life and I’m so grateful to Mahzooz for it.”

As for David, a 50-year-old regional sales manager, the prize money will be channelled towards payments for his recently purchased flat in Abu Dhabi, followed by donations to charities.

Filipino national Carlo received the news of his win while he was celebrating his nephew’s birthday.

“When my wife and I saw my winning balance on the Mahzooz app, my wife broke down and shed tears of joy and gratitude. This sum will go such a long way in securing our children’s education and pay off loans,” said the 35-year-old civil engineer.

Carlo’s compatriot Leonilo also has similar plans chalked out for his winning amount. The 46-year-old IT technician and father of two says: “This amount is a big help, especially at a time like the pandemic when everyone is struggling. This stroke of luck will help me pay off some dues and finance the remainder of my son’s aviation course – he’s a pilot-in-training.”

Lebanese expat Omar, 35, who works in the banking sector, said he is still in a state of disbelief after he saw his name in the winners list. “It was so unexpected; I still haven’t been able to decide on what to do with the prize money. I am very happy and grateful for Mahzooz. You should always be positive and keep trying until you achieve your goals. Luck will come to you one day.”

Although they come from different parts of the world, Syrian national Aktham and Swedish expat Bengt have similar plans for what their prize money.

Akhtham, a 39-year-old Syrian advertising professional said: “After I use this money to further my career by enrolling in courses in directing, I want to help my brother get married. He postponed his wedding more than once due to financial limitations and the pandemic.”

Bengt, a 62-year-old head of mechanical maintenance in Abu Dhabi, said he will use his winnings to help his wife’s family in Thailand.

“My wife was screaming with excitement when she discovered we had won. I’m happy with my life and Mahzooz is giving me the chance to help make others equally, if not more, happy. A platform like Mahzooz is so wonderful as it helps not just winners but also the people around them.”

One can participate in Mahzooz by registering via www.mahzooz.ae and purchasing a bottle of water. Each bottle purchased (for Dh35) provides eligibility for one line in the draw and the donation is channelled through Mahzooz’s community partners to hydrate those in need.

The next draw will be held as scheduled on Saturday, October 9, 2021 at 9pm UAE time.

saman@khaleejtimes.com