A Dubai resident has made history by becoming the first Afghan national to win the Dubai Duty Free (DDF) Millennium Millionaire prize. Mohammad Khan Barakzai, 44, struck gold in Millennium Millionaire Series 519 with ticket number 1700, which he purchased online on September 23. The father of three has been living in Dubai since 2014 and runs an interior decoration business in Business Bay.
Barakzai was informed of his win during the latest draw held at Concourse D in Dubai International Airport. Expressing his gratitude, he said, “Thank you so much Dubai Duty Free. It has always been my dream to win in your promotion, and I knew that one day it would happen, and it finally did! I have always believed that your promotion is one of the most genuine in the world.”
Born in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Barakzai has been participating in the Dubai Duty Free promotion for four years. His win marks a significant achievement not only for him but also as a trailblazer for other Afghans who may follow in his footsteps.
In a parallel win, Danny Telis, a 47-year-old Indian expat based in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, also won $1 million in Millennium Millionaire Series 518 with ticket number 0542, which he purchased on the same day. Telis, who has lived in Saudi Arabia for more than three years, had previously spent 13 years in Dubai, and he has been participating in the promotion for five years. The construction manager and father of two expressed his gratitude for the life-changing prize, stating, “I am truly grateful for this win; it’s a dream come true for me. My heartfelt thanks go to Dubai Duty Free.”
When asked about his plans for the windfall, Telis revealed that he intends to invest in Dubai. “I would like to invest in Dubai. It had been my home for 13 years before moving to Saudi Arabia,” he shared. Telis becomes the 261st Indian national to win $1 million in the Millennium Millionaire promotion, a testament to the significant number of Indian ticket purchasers in the raffle.
Both winners are part of a long-standing tradition of Dubai Duty Free’s promotion, which has seen many expats from various countries realise their dreams through the draw.
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