A 44-year-old Indian engineer, Saravanan Venkatachalam, living in Abu Dhabi, has become the newest millionaire of the Big Ticket raffle, winning Dh 25 million (~Rs 60.4 crore) with ticket number 463221. He initially missed the call from the Big Ticket hosts — his phone was on “Do Not Disturb”. After his friends and family rang him, the reality sank in. He plans to secure his children’s future and clear debts.
Saravanan’s story is one of persistence, surprise, and destiny. For five long years, he had been buying Big Ticket entries, sometimes pooling money with friends and sometimes going solo. This time, luck favored him — his ticket number 463221, purchased on October 30 during a “buy one, get one free” promotion, turned out to be the winning ticket in Big Ticket’s Series 280 draw.
The Win: How It Happened
On an otherwise ordinary day, Saravanan’s life took a dramatic turn:
- The draw was part of Big Ticket’s Series 280.
- He purchased the winning ticket — number 463221 — on 30 October during a “buy 1, get 1 free” promotion.
- When the hosts, Richard (“Big Ticket” host) and Bouchra (“Big Ticket” host), called him live to announce the win, his phone was switched off and set to silent.
- It was his wife, friends and colleagues who finally broke the news — “You’re a winner” — and only then did he believe it.
“I just stood there, speechless,” Saravanan said in disbelief. “My phone was silent, so I missed the calls. When people started calling me saying I had won, I couldn’t believe it at first. I thought it was a prank.”
Who Is Saravanan Venkatachalam?
- Age: 44 years. Originally from Chennai, India.
- Profession: Electrical engineer based in Abu Dhabi since 2019. Prior work spread across Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman.
- Motivation: He moved to the UAE driven by financial responsibilities — supporting family back home and managing debts.
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Ticket-buying journey:
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He started buying Big Ticket entries about 5 years ago — inspired when a colleague in Qatar had won previously.
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Sometimes he joined colleagues in a group purchase; this time he says he bought one for himself.
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The Big Ticket: UAE’s Most Popular Raffle
The Big Ticket raffle, one of the UAE’s oldest and most popular draws, has been changing lives since 1992. With prizes ranging from Dh100,000 to multi-million-dirham jackpots, it attracts thousands of participants every month from across the world — especially from India, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
Saravanan’s win is part of Big Ticket’s November 2025 draw, which not only featured the Dh25 million grand prize but also offered additional prizes — including a luxury race weekend experience at Yas Marina Circuit and other cash giveaways.
An Inspiration for Millions of Indian Expats
For Indian expatriates across the UAE, Saravanan’s win is more than just good news — it’s an inspiring reminder of hope and persistence. Many expats work tirelessly far from home, and such moments remind them that dreams, no matter how distant, can come true in the most unexpected ways.
From a silent phone call to sudden fame, Saravanan’s journey from engineer to millionaire is one of those real-life stories that sound straight out of a movie.
As the Big Ticket hosts put it best — “We will find you.” And indeed, they did.
