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The 44-year-old man, who works as a watchman in the UAE, shared that his ticket was randomly selected by one of his friends, which led him to win Dh100,000 or Rs 26 lakh
Two other Kerala men, who live in the UAE, also emerged as winners (Image: AI-Generated)
For four years, a Kerala-born man, now living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), tried his luck at Big Ticket entries with his friends, hoping that one day he would finally win. That day came when the 44-year-old school watchman won a Dh100,000 jackpot, approximately Rs 26 lakh, in the country’s latest draw.
Saidalavi Kariodan Varichalil, who has been living in the UAE for 17 years, works as a watchman at a school and was among the five lucky winners of Big Ticket’s Series 289. What made it more special was that his win was randomly selected by his friend Anub.
Saidalavi, as reported by Gulf News, was introduced to Big Ticket by his friends and began purchasing tickets every month as part of a group for around four years. Despite participating regularly, he had never expected his ticket to land him the jackpot.
After knowing that he had won the jackpot, Saidalavi said he planned to send his share of the prize money to his family in India. “Keep hoping! Your day will come,” Saidalavi said, encouraging other Big Ticket participants not to give up. Following the win, he said he won’t stop trying his luck again, as he has already purchased another ticket for the next draw.
Saidalavi was one of three Indian winners in Series 289. Two other winners were Akhil Chandran R P and Sarath Sasidharan. Both of them are from Kerala. Moreover, two Bangladesh nationals, named Arifuzzaman Shuvo and Sabuj Md Delowar Munshi, were the other two winners. Each of them has received Dh100,000, taking the total prize money to Dh500,000.
Other Indians Who Won The Cash Prize
Saidalavi was not the only Indian expat from Kerala to win in the same lucky draw. 28-year-old Akhil Chandran R P, who works in sales and customer service in the UAE, also received the same cash prize. Akhil reportedly has lived in the country for five years and has been participating in Big Ticket with his friends. Coincidentally, his winning ticket was also selected by a friend.
Meanwhile, the third Indian winner, 33-year-old Sarath Sasidharan, has been living in the UAE since 2007. He was introduced to the Big Ticket by his colleagues and has participated in the draws both individually and in groups. Unlike the two others, his winning ticket was selected by his mother and daughters, and he plans to use the money for his health.
Key Questions Answered
Ask News18Saidalavi plans to continue playing Big Ticket and has already bought a ticket for the next draw.
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A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
August 16, 2026, 17:20 IST
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