Emirates Draw participants just one digit away from prizes of Dh100 million and Dh15 million
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Dubai: Emirates Draw participants from the USA, India, Philippines, and Nepal recently came close to winning the Grand Prizes of Dh100 million and Dh15 million across its MEGA7 and EASY6 games.
Two of them, from USA and India, were just one number (digit) shy of winning the MEGA7 Dh100 million Grand Prize. At the same time, an Indian, a Filipina, and a Nepali experienced a similar near miss, being only a number (digit) away from securing the EASY6 Dh15 million Grand Prize.
Dream holiday
A MEGA7 second prize winner, Ahmed Mohammad Ashfaq, was born and raised in the USA. He came to Dubai 23 years ago, on a holiday visiting his Emirati mother, and couldn’t bring himself to go back.
The 52-year-old has called the UAE home ever since and currently works in real estate. His Dh125,000 win is the ticket to a family vacation to Japan next summer – a dream finally coming true, he said.
“A lot of people have the habit of saying that they’ve never won anything in life, which is why they don’t see the point in participating. I believe that’s the wrong attitude to have, whatever you attract comes back to you in life,” Ashfaq added.
Too happy to sleep
Meanwhile, Prashant Singh Rawat, a 33-year-old from Agra, India, is also involved in real estate in the UAE. The Dh125,000 win is the high point of his journey with Emirates Draw. “I had won Dh7 once, so when I received the news that I had won Dh125,000 I didn’t believe it. I couldn’t even sleep afterwards,” said the father of one.
EASY6 winners
When asked about her win, Djoahanna Fortunata Kerr reflects on the fortunate turn in her life. As an airlines employee for the past 25 years, living in the UAE, she learned about the Emirates Draw through her husband, a regular participant. Originally from Pampanga, Philippines, she confronted recent challenges, including her husband’s health crisis, and the timely win brought much-needed relief.
“My husband suffered a heart attack recently, and we were struggling to pay his medical bills as there were issues with his insurance. With this amount, we’ll be able to pay off almost everything. I feel so grateful and fortunate that we were blessed with is win all thanks to Emirates Draw,” said the 49-year-old.
Djoahanna chose September 16, 2007, the day she started working for the airlines, as her preferred numbers. It was a combination of numbers pertaining to this special day in her life which was the reason behind her Dh21,428 EASY6 win.
Settling debts
Emirates Draw has winners from all over the world, and Manapuri Sagar, who lives and works in Jagtial, Telangana India, is one of them.
“I saw on TV, the story of Ajay Ogula, the first Dh15 million Grand Prize Winner with Emirates Draw EASY6. He is also from the same state as me, and I thought to myself, if he can win then so can I,” said the 33-year-old.
Inspired by Ogula’s story, Manapuri started playing Emirates Draw, only to find himself just one ball away from winning the Grand Prize. Still, the extra Dh21,428 he gained from his win is now a “lifeline” to settle debts and regain financial stability.
Family’s future
Meanwhile Hom Bahadur Syangba, a 30-year-old security guard living in Fujairah from Gorkha, Nepal, is protecting his family’s future back home as well.
“My wife is back home in Nepal, and I will be using the Dh21,428 EASY6 win to take care of her and the rest of my family back,” he said Hom.
