Filipino in Dubai hits ₱333 Million (Dh20 Million) Jackpot in Big Ticket Draw

Photo: Supplied

Reynaldo Herboso, a Filipino baker in Dubai, won the ₱333 million (Dh20 million) Big Ticket draw in the UAE.

Highlights

• Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Reynaldo Herboso wins Dh20 million ($5.45 million) jackpot in the UAE's Big Ticket draw.

• Victory comes after 15 years of buying tickets with a group of 10 friends.

• Prize will be shared equally, giving each member around Dh2 million.

• The life-changing win came just days before Herboso was due to fly home to the Philippines for a vacation.

• Herboso has worked as a bakery employee in the UAE since 1988.

Abu Dhabi: A Filipino bakery worker in Dubai has finally turned nearly two decades of persistence into a life-changing windfall after winning the Dh20 million grand prize in the latest Big Ticket draw.

Reynaldo Herboso, 61, emerged as the grand prize winner after ticket number 267822 was drawn during Big Ticket Series 289 on Monday. The winning ticket had been purchased on July 13.

The amount is equivalent to about ₱333 million.

The emotional announcement was made live on air by Big Ticket hosts Richard and Bouchra Yamani, who called Herboso moments after the draw.

Initially stunned, Herboso asked for a moment before responding. "I win? Really? Thank you, thank you… Really?"

He was then heard telling someone nearby: "I won Dh20 million finally."

A dream nearly 15 years in the making

Herboso's victory did not come overnight.

The overseas Filipino worker said he and nine friends from the Philippines, India and Bangladesh had been purchasing Big Ticket entries together for about 15 years, hoping that one day luck would finally be on their side.

The winning ticket was selected by one of their Bangladeshi friends. "Our Bangladeshi friend selected the ticket number for us. When I found out that we had won, I was completely over the moon."

The jackpot will be divided equally among the 10-member group, giving each participant approximately Dh2 million.

Perfect timing before returning home

The win came at a particularly emotional moment.

Herboso, who has lived in the UAE since 1988, said he had just finished work in Jebel Ali and was preparing to fly home to the Philippines later that week for a family visit.

He now lives alone following the death of his wife, making the unexpected financial breakthrough even more meaningful.

Although he has yet to decide how he will spend his share of the winnings, Herboso said he intends to think carefully before making any major decisions.

Despite finally hitting the jackpot, he hinted he may continue buying tickets. "Keep trying. You never know when your moment might come."

Another long-time participant wins luxury car

The draw also produced another major winner. Ash Bahadur Dura, a 47-year-old Nepali expatriate who has worked in Abu Dhabi for 18 years, won a Maserati Grecale after participating in Big Ticket for more than a decade.

Rather than keeping the vehicle, Dura said he plans to take its cash equivalent.

Other winners

The latest Big Ticket draw also awarded:

• Five consolation prizes worth Dh100,000 each.

• Two Big Spin winners receiving Dh100,000 each.

• One Big Spin participant winning Dh250,000.

The event also launched Dear Big Ticket Season 4, inviting UAE residents to submit wishes in categories including housing, education, healthcare, family reunification and entrepreneurship.

What is Big Ticket

Big Ticket is one of the UAE's most popular prize draw programs, attracting participants from across the Gulf region, particularly expatriate workers hoping to improve their financial future.

Many entrants purchase tickets as groups, allowing them to share costs while increasing their chances of winning. Stories of long-time participants finally landing multimillion-dirham prizes have helped fuel the draw's popularity among overseas workers, especially Filipinos, Indians, Bangladeshis and Nepalese living in the UAE.

The promotion now moves into its August campaign, with a Dh15 million grand prize scheduled to be awarded during the next live draw in early September, alongside weekly cash prizes.

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