10 Bangladeshi, Filipino and Indian expat friends in Dubai win Dh20m after 15 years of trying.
Abu Dhabi: A Filipino expat has shared how his group of 10 friends from the Philippines, India and Bangladesh finally won the Dh20 million Big Ticket grand prize after 15 years of trying.
As reported on Monday night, Dubai resident Reynaldo Herboso was announced as the winner after his ticket number 267822 was picked during the live draw for Big Ticket Series 289. He had purchased the winning ticket on July 13.
It was later revealed that Herboso, 61, works in a bakery and has been a resident of the UAE since 1988.
Caught off guard
Big Ticket hosts Richard and Bouchra Yamani called Reynaldo live on air to share the life-changing news. Initially stunned, he asked for a moment before responding. As the reality sank in, he struggled to express his emotions.
“I win? Really? Thank you, thank you… really?” he said, before turning to someone nearby and sharing the news: “I won Dh20 million finally.”
The win came at a particularly meaningful time for Reynaldo. The 61-year-old, who has spent nearly four decades in the UAE and now lives alone following the death of his wife, was preparing to travel home to visit his family.
15 years of trying
“I am in Jebel Ali… I have just finished work. This coming Friday, I am going on vacation,” Reynaldo said during the call.
A long-time Big Ticket participant, Reynaldo said he had been purchasing tickets for 15 years as part of a group of 10 friends.
“For 15 years continuously, I have been buying the ticket,” he said.
Reynaldo revealed that the winning Dh20 million ticket was bought jointly by the group, with the final number selection carrying a special significance — it was chosen by their Bangladeshi friend.
“Our Bangladeshi friend selected the ticket number for us. When I found out that we had won, I was completely over the moon. I was so excited and could hardly believe that after all these years, our group had finally won the grand prize,” he said.
Friends share the win
The Dh20 million prize will be divided equally among the 10 friends, giving each member a share of around Dh2 million.
“I will tell all my friends who are sharing the prize money. They will be very happy,” Reynaldo said.
He said he has not yet decided how he will use his winnings and plans to take time to consider his options once the money is received.
Reynaldo also suggested he may continue participating in future draws and encouraged others to stay hopeful.
“My advice to everyone is simple: keep trying. You never know when your moment might come,” he said.
Dream car winner
While Reynaldo’s Dh20 million jackpot was the highlight of the draw, another participant drove away with Big Ticket’s luxury car prize.
Ash Bahadur Dura, a 47-year-old operator from Nepal who has lived in Abu Dhabi for 18 years while his family remains in Nepal, won a Maserati Grecale.
Ash, who has been purchasing Big Ticket tickets independently for the past 10 to 12 years, said he selected his winning number at random.
“I am very, very happy. I honestly cannot express how I feel right now. After taking part for so many years, receiving the winning call was an incredible moment for me,” he said.
Dream car winner
While Reynaldo’s Dh20 million jackpot was the biggest moment of the draw, another participant walked away with Big Ticket’s luxury car prize.
Ash Bahadur Dura, a 47-year-old operator from Nepal who has lived in Abu Dhabi for 18 years while his family remains in his home country, won a Maserati Grecale.
Ash, who has been purchasing Big Ticket tickets independently for the past 10 to 12 years, said he selected his winning number at random.
“I am very, very happy. I honestly cannot express how I feel right now. After taking part for so many years, receiving the winning call was an incredible moment for me,” he said.
Dear Big Ticket: Season 4
During the broadcast, Richard and Bouchra also launched Dear Big Ticket – Season 4, inviting UAE residents aged 18 and above to submit their wishes under five categories: housing and accommodation, education, health and well-being, family reunion, and business and entrepreneurship.
Entries for the initiative will remain open until August 23.
What’s next
Big Ticket’s summer campaign continues in August with a Dh15 million grand prize up for grabs, with the winner to be announced during a live draw on September 3. The draw will also feature five consolation prizes of Dh100,000 each.
Throughout the month, four participants will win Dh25,000 each in weekly E-draws, which will be streamed live on Big Ticket’s YouTube channel at 7:30pm on the scheduled draw dates.
More chances to win
Anyone purchasing a Big Ticket in August will be automatically entered into The Big Spin, with three participants selected on August 3 to compete in the game on September 3. Each participant will have a chance to win up to Dh1 million.
The Dream Car promotion will also continue, with a Land Rover Defender set to be awarded to one winner on September 3, followed by a Nissan Patrol on October 3.
Overall, Big Ticket’s August promotion is expected to produce 26 winners across its various prize categories.
