Junaid Rana Mahzooz Winner, 36 took a check for a life-changing amount on Monday.
The winner of Windfall is Junaid Rana, the biggest prize draw in the Gulf, has been revealed.
Pakistan’s Junaid Rana on Monday collected a check for a life-changing Dh50 million ($13.6m).
The 36-year-old, works as a company driver and earns around Dh6,000 per month till now. This victory has already placed him among the wealthiest of a few percent of the population.
This was the first time in 48 weekly draws that someone had taken home the grand prize. Mr. Junaid Rana matched all the six numbers: 6, 11, 21, 32, 33 and 46.
I feel so happy. My family was going crazy when I told them. I don’t have dreams of buying a sports car… I’m just happy with my life
Junaid Rana Said
“I loved it. My family was going crazy when I told them,” Mr. Rana said at the press conference on Monday.
“I have no dreams of buying a sports car. I am just happy with my life.”
“I still haven’t decided whether I’ll keep working. I can bring my family here or go back home. I picked the numbers at random.”
The hardworking father of two children has a wife and family in Pakistan. More than 30 members of his family live under one roof.
Mahzooz Winner Junaid Rana earned on Sunday morning that he had won Dh50million.
“I work as a driver and I was sitting with the security guy who told me someone had won $50 million,” he said.
“I started matching the numbers and then saw that all the numbers matched. I was so happy… I can’t describe it.”
He said the first person he called was his mother. Mr. Rana moved to the United Arab Emirates as a child and lived here until the age of 18, after which he went back home.
He returned to UAE in search of a job and got a job in Dragon Mart, where he earned two thousand rupees a month.
He lives in a shared housing block in Dubai. Mr. Rana said his colleagues and friends were asking him to buy raffle draw tickets on his behalf after his victory.
“This is life changing for me. I haven’t decided what I will do with the money. I still can’t believe that I have won such a huge amount,” Mr. Rana said.
“My family was overjoyed when I told them… they were screaming and dancing and jumping,” Mr. Rana said.
“I don’t want to waste money, but want to do something that is useful to my kids.
The winner had Dh100,000 in debt to repay
“Also, I have a loan of Dh100,000 which I have to repay.”
He said that he wants to ensure that his children can go to better schools and that he can also buy property abroad.
His elder brother Yasar Rana, at a transfer company in Dubai, said he was shocked when Junaid called to inform him.
“I thought it could be around Dh10,000 or up to Dh100,000, but when they told me it was Dh50 million, I thought I was dreaming,” he said.
Fareed Samji, chief executive of Ewings, which runs Mahzooz, said: “This is the largest prize money ever in the UAE and the GCC.
We are very happy that luck favored someone after 48 draws.
Six people shared the second prize, which was doubled this week to Dh2m as it went unclaimed in the previous draw on 16 October. Each house took Dh333,333.
The total prize money won in Saturday night’s draw was Dh52,305,960.
What can you buy if you hit the jackpot?
So how will you spend Dh20 million? You need a luxury car in the garage to truly live life in the fast lane. The limited edition Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ is for the most enthusiastic of petrolheads, with retail sales of Dh14.3 million.
Once you have your attractive set of wheels, it makes sense to get a personalized number plate. Last year, the V12 plate sold for a clean Dh7.2 million at an RTA auction in Dubai.
You’re already feeling over the moon so why not fly over it? Commercial flights may be common in the long run, but at least in the short term will patronize the rich and famous as space entrepreneurs bid to corner the market
Travel in style at Etihad’s The Residence. VIP flights come with a range of amenities, including a comfortable bed. Return tickets to Rome are Dh62,000, so there’s no excuse not to see those air miles
When money is no object, why don’t submariners stay in hotels? This spectacular underwater installation in St Lucia will set you back Dh1 million a night
Increasing bank balance gives you a chance to travel the world. What about a trip to Paris once you need a break from walking around the mansion?
For those looking to set foot in Dubai, there are plenty of spacious villas in Emirates Hills – better known as the Beverly Hills of the United Arab Emirates. One of the area’s most priceless properties on the market is on sale for Dh14.5 million
Any self-respecting millionaire should have a yacht. While a super yacht might be out of reach for anyone with Dh20 million, you can still pick up a top-of-the-line vessel and still make some changes.