A Filipino expat in the UAE is ringing in the New Year with a huge surprise after winning AED 100,000 from Big Ticket. Nomer Materiano, 48, a salesman in Abu Dhabi, was among the five lucky winners in the final weekly E-Draw of Big Ticket's December 2025 promotion. Having lived in the capital city with his family for the past 20 years, Materiano first discovered Big Ticket on social media and has been buying tickets with four friends since then. On New Year's Day, when he learned he was one of the winners, he admitted feeling a bit skeptical at first. "With so many scam calls these days, I honestly thought it wasn't real," he said. "You never know when luck will come your way," he added. The other four winners from the UAE and India also received their prizes, marking a celebratory start to the New Year for Big Ticket participants. Looking ahead, January 2026's Big Ticket draws are already generating excitement, with a massive AED 20 million grand prize giving one lucky winner the chance to become an instant multimillionaire. "My family and I are starting the year on a good note." With the prize money, Materiano intends to set it aside for his 11-year-old son's future. "I feel very lucky." His advice to anyone participating is: "Keep trying." "I didn't believe it at first, but once I realised it was true, I was very happy."
