Wednesday 04 / February / 2026
MUSCAT: “When I realised it was real and that I had won, I was honestly speechless. It still hasn’t fully sunk in, but I’m extremely happy,” said Shanthanu Shettigar after winning Dh20 million in Big Ticket’s second grand prize raffle of the year.
Big Ticket was launched in 1992 at the Abu Dhabi International Airport. Today, Big Ticket is one of the largest and longest-running raffle draws in the Middle East for cash prizes and dream luxury cars in the GCC.
During the Series 283 Big Ticket live draw, Shanthanu Shettigar was announced as the lucky winner of the AED20 million grand prize, while Bangladeshi expat, Shahin Miah drove away in a brand-new BMW X5.
Shanthanu, a 33-year-old shop in-charge from Karnataka, has been living in Muscat for the past eight years. His family, however, recently returned to India.
His journey with Big Ticket began five years ago, shortly after he moved to Muscat, inspired by colleagues who regularly participated in the draw.
Reflecting on how it all started, Shanthanu said, “When I first moved to Muscat, many of my colleagues were purchasing Big Ticket, which encouraged me to give it a try. I started buying tickets on my own, and later began sharing tickets with a close friend. The ticket that brought me this win was one we purchased together.”
Recalling the moment he learned about his win, Shanthanu said it took him completely by surprise.
“Like most people, I receive a lot of spam calls, and I was fully absorbed in my work. I knew the live draw was taking place, but I never imagined my name would be announced. When I realised it was real and that I had won, I was honestly speechless. It still hasn’t fully sunk in, but I’m extremely happy,” he said.
Speaking about his plans, Shanthanu added, “I will be splitting the prize with my friend, as we bought the ticket together. As for my share, this win was completely unexpected, so I want to take some time to think things through before deciding what to do next. I would definitely encourage others to participate in Big Ticket, whether with family or friends — you never know when your moment might come.”
Shahin, a 32-year-old house driver from Bangladesh, has been living in Sharjah since 2008, while his family continues to reside back home. His journey with Big Ticket began through encouragement from close friends, who had long been regular participants in the draw.
Sharing how he finally decided to take part, Shahin said, “My friends had been buying Big Ticket for a long time, but I was never fully convinced at first. They kept encouraging me to join, and after a while, I agreed. This was only my third time participating, so winning has come as a complete surprise for all of us.”
Recalling the moment he received the winning call, Shahin described it as overwhelming. “I was driving at the time, so I couldn’t fully understand what was happening.
“It all felt confusing at first. But once it sank in, happiness really hit me. It’s an incredible feeling, and I’m truly very happy.”
