MUSCAT – An Indian expatriate living in Oman has won a Dh20 million ($5.4 million) jackpot in a live draw held in Abu Dhabi, organisers said.

Shanthanu Shettigar, 33, who has lived in Muscat for eight years, won the top prize in Series 283 of Big Ticket, with the draw held in Abu Dhabi.

Shettigar won with ticket number 305810, purchased on January 20.

During the live broadcast, show hosts initially failed to reach Shettigar by phone after he disconnected the call, but succeeded on a third attempt. Speaking from Muscat, Shettigar said he had not been watching the draw and was left stunned when he realised he had won.

“I knew the live draw was taking place tonight, but I never imagined my name would be announced,” he said. “Like most people, I receive a lot of spam calls, and I was fully absorbed in my work.”

Shettigar, who hails from the southern Indian state of Karnataka and works in the retail sector, said he began buying Big Ticket entries after being encouraged by colleagues when he first moved to Oman.

“When I first moved to Muscat, many of my colleagues were purchasing Big Ticket, which encouraged me to give it a try,” he said. “I started buying tickets on my own, and later began sharing tickets with a close friend. The ticket that brought me this win was one we purchased together.”

He said he had been participating in the monthly draw for five years but never expected to win. “When I realised it was real and that I had won, I was honestly speechless,” he said. “It still hasn’t fully sunk in, but I’m extremely happy.”

Asked how he planned to use his share of the winnings, Shettigar said he needed time to think. “This win was completely unexpected, so I want to take some time to think things through before deciding what to do next,” he said.

He also encouraged others to take part in the raffle. “I would definitely encourage others to participate with Big Ticket, whether with family or friends – you never know when your moment might come,” he said.

The winning ticket was selected by the previous draw’s winner, Filipino expatriate Anna Lee Gayongan, who had claimed the Dh30 million grand prize.

Big Ticket was established in 1992 with an initial top prize of Dh1 million and has since become one of the most popular monthly raffle draws in the United Arab Emirates.

For all the latest news from Oman and GCC, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube page, which is updated daily.