UAE: 2 Indian, Pakistani expats nearly win historic AED100m prize in UAE draw – News

Two more participants join the line-up of international winners for the draw and main draw held last Sunday

Milan Mahesh Jani. – Photos provided

Indian expatriate Milan Mahesh Jani and Pakistani national Muhammad Dawood Butt won second prize at the recent Emirates Draw – just one figure away from the historic Dh100 million jackpot.

Since they only matched six of the seven figures, they split the Dh250,000 prize.

An Indian from Maharashtra, Milan first arrived in the UAE in 2008 and has been working in the construction industry, including mega-projects such as Expo 2020 Dubai and Dubai Creek Harbour.

During his usual Sunday grocery run, he took a quick look through his email and was delighted to find he had won. He’d won lesser prizes before, so he didn’t think it was a big deal – until he realized he was actually one of only two Dh250,000 cash winners.

“I have been participating in the UAE draw since its launch in September 2021 and it has become a weekend routine for me. I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that the numbers I picked had won on the same day,” said Milano.

Despite taking a nine-month break from the Emirates in early 2022, the 41-year-old Milan never stopped participating in the Emirates Draw MEGA7 and continued to do so after returning last October. “You never know when Lady Luck will shine on you. I believe in hard work, a paying job, and by God’s grace, I’m happy. I’ve always believed that perseverance ultimately leads to life-changing victories, ’ he added.

Milan plans to use his winnings as a down payment on an apartment in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Alternatively, he plans to start a business with a few of his friends.

Mohammad, meanwhile, a 30-year-old Pakistani born and raised in the UAE, is new to Emirates Draw. He started playing the game in February 2023 after seeing an ad on YouTube.

He matched three numbers before and prayed to win something during Ramadan. “I was watching the live draw with my wife and kids and I was shocked when I hit six numbers. At first, I was disappointed because I didn’t hit seven in a row and won Dh100 million, But I’m going to keep trying until I win.”

As a young father of a 6-year-old, Mohammad intends to use his winnings to secure his children’s future by investing wisely. He also added that if he wins more money in the future, he would like to invest in real estate and the stock market.

Muhammad believes he now has a better chance of convincing others to play the game, saying: “I’ve noticed that a lot of people don’t believe they can win unless someone they know has won. Since I’m a winner, I can happily encourage them Participate in the Emirates Draw.”