Two Kerala expats have just had their lives turned upside down, in the best way possible. Both have won $1 million each in the latest Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire draw.
Their wins are another reminder of just how popular this raffle has become, one that has quietly created hundreds of millionaires over the years.
Both winners are long-time UAE residents, and the news came through during the live draw held at Dubai International Airport. Needless to say, it has been a big moment for both families.
Newly Married Engineer Wins Just One Month After Wedding
One of the winners is 30-year-old Jithin Babu, a mechanical engineer from Kerala who has been working in Dubai. What makes his win extra special is the timing. He got married just a month ago, so this could not have come at a better time.
Jithin had bought his ticket online through the Dubai Duty Free website, like a lot of people do these days. When the call came in telling him he had won a million dollars, he admitted he found it hard to process at first.
He later said the win felt like a dream come true and called it one of the happiest moments of his life. Understandably, it has changed a lot of his plans going forward.
Second Winner Is a Long-Time Dubai Resident
The second winner is Benny Thomas, also from Kerala, who has spent many years living and working in Dubai. He had been buying Dubai Duty Free tickets regularly for a while now, the way thousands of others do, always hoping his turn would come.
This time, it finally did. His ticket came up as one of the Millennium Millionaire winners, and the news quickly made its way to family and friends both in Dubai and back home in Kerala.
His story is a good example of how sticking with something for long enough can eventually pay off.
About the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Draw
The Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire promotion is one of the most well known airport raffles in the world. Participants buy numbered tickets for a shot at winning $1 million.
The draw has been running since 1999 and has produced hundreds of millionaires from all over the globe in that time. Indian nationals have consistently been among the biggest winners over the past two decades.
Tickets are available online through the Dubai Duty Free website, or in person at select spots inside Dubai International Airport, so both residents and travellers passing through can take part.
Indians Continue Their Winning Streak
Indians have had a pretty strong run with the Millennium Millionaire promotion over the years. Every year seems to bring a few more winners from different parts of the country, which says a lot about how popular this draw is within the Indian expat community in the UAE.
Kerala in particular has produced quite a few winners, given how many people from the state work across the Emirates. Stories like these, of everyday professionals suddenly winning big, keep drawing more people to try their luck.
These two wins just add to that growing list of Indian millionaires the Dubai Duty Free draw has created.
Winners React to the Life-Changing News
Both winners said much the same thing after finding out, that it did not feel real at first. That seems to be a common reaction among past winners too.
Jithin said he never imagined winning so soon after his wedding, while Benny thanked his family and said years of buying tickets had finally paid off. You could tell from their reactions just how big a moment this was for both of them.
Friends and family from both the UAE and India came out to congratulate them, and social media was soon filled with well wishes too.
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Why the Dubai Duty Free Draw Remains So Popular
Part of why this draw keeps attracting people is its transparency and reputation, along with the sheer size of the prize. Winners have come from all walks of life over the years: engineers, business owners, teachers, healthcare workers- you name it.
For a lot of participants, buying a ticket feels like a bit of harmless fun paired with the chance of something huge happening. Regular live draws and public winner announcements have helped keep that trust intact over the years.
How the Prize Could Change Their Lives
A million dollars opens up a lot of doors. For both winners, it means real financial freedom, whether that goes toward buying a home, funding their children’s education, starting a business, or simply planning ahead for retirement.
For Jithin, the timing makes it all the more special, starting married life with this kind of financial cushion. For Benny, it is the reward for years of patience finally showing up, a moment he and his family are not likely to forget anytime soon.