Indian expat $1m jackpot in Dubai Duty Free’s 500th draw
Series 500 sold out in record-breaking seven days
DUBAI: An Indian expat living in the UAE has won US$1 million (Dh3.67 million), becoming the 500th winner of Dubai Duty Free’s (DDF) long-running Millennium Millionaire promotion.
The landmark draw took place in Concourse B of Dubai International Airport and was attended by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of DDF.
The lucky winner, 52-year-old Venugopal Mullacheri, hails from Kerala and works in IT support for a company in Ajman. A father of two, Mullacheri has been participating in the promotion for over 15 years. His winning ticket, number 1163, was purchased on 23rd April from Terminal 2 Arrivals. He was watching the live stream on DDF’s official Facebook page when his name was announced.
“I’m delighted to become the 500th winner of the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire,” rsaid Mullacheri. “As a long-time participant, I’m thrilled to finally be one of the many winners it has created. Thank you so much Dubai Duty Free.”
Record-breaking sales
The 500th series of the promotion saw an overwhelming response, selling out in just seven days, well ahead of the usual 20-day sales cycle. Notably, 37 percent of the tickets were snapped up within the first 12 hours. Participants came from 123 different nationalities, with Indian, British and Pakistani entrants forming the top three groups.
Commenting on the occasion, DDF Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi said: “The very first draw was held during the Dubai Airshow in November 1999. Over the years, this promotion has transformed lives and created many millionaires. Congratulations to Mr Mullacheri and to all our winners over the years.”
Also present at the 500th draw were several senior DDF executives, including Deputy Managing Director Salah Tahlak, SVP – Marketing Sinead El Sibai, SVP – HR Mona Al Ali, SVP – Retail Michael Schmidt and SVP – Loss Prevention & Corporate Security Zayed Al Shebli.
Dubai Duty Free
Mullacheri is the 249th Indian national to win the DDF Millennium Millionaire prize since its inception – making Indians the most frequent winners in the promotion’s 25-year history. The inaugural winner in 1999 was Ashok Nankani, a Taiwan-based Indian businessman.
Since its launch, the initiative has produced 500 millionaires from 53 countries. Remarkably, 10 participants have won the prize twice. The draw is a sister campaign to the “Finest Surprise” car promotion, which has been running since 1989.