A man from the state of Tamil Nadu has scooped a life-changing INR 698 million lottery jackpot. Kathar Hussain, a car wash manager earning AED 1,500 a month, landed the top prize and became one of the biggest-ever winners of the United Arab Emirates’ Big Ticket lottery draw.

Millions of television viewers tuned in to watch the Big Ticket draw, which had reached its biggest-ever jackpot payout. The Big Ticket television show immediately discovered the winning ticket and attempted to contact Hussain live on UAE television. However, in true television style, Hussain was not available to pick up the call leaving the show’s host and the studio audience in complete suspense.

The drama surrounding Hussain’s revelation as the Big Ticket winner

Hussain’s mobile phone was switched off because he was traveling home to Tamil Nadu to spend time with his family. It transpired that Hussain was fully aware of his unprecedented win, having tuned in to watch a live stream of the Big Ticket draw at home.

When interviewed after his Big Ticket win, Hussain admitted he could rarely afford to buy a ticket for UAE’s biggest lottery game. In the last five years, Hussain said he had bought tickets seven or eight times. He would “save money each month” towards a lottery ticket fund and pooled resources with a friend, whose tip money also contributed to paying for the winning ticket.

Hussain insisted that he would be sharing some of his winnings with his pal, Devaraj, before moving his family over to the UAE, where he has lived and worked for the past seven years. He said that although he plans to quit his car wash manager role, he hopes to launch his own business with some of the winnings.

Hussain is finished with lottery games – for now

It’s said that the next Big Ticket lottery draw in the UAE – scheduled for the New Year – is said to have an even bigger jackpot of AED 35 million. When quizzed as to whether he would be having another dabble, Hussain stated he “wouldn’t be trying [his] luck again”.

Even Hussain’s family in Tamil Nadu could have taken part in the UAE’s Big Ticket lottery game if they’d wanted to. In India, it’s possible to get involved with some of the top international lottery games, without having to be present in the country where the game is drawn. There are several sites that allow citizens to play India lottery games as well as those with the biggest jackpots like the Mega Millions, the US Powerball, and the Euro Millions.

These operators don’t buy tickets on your behalf. Instead, you make your picks and buy a virtual ticket with the operator instead. They operate on an insurance-backed basis. If your numbers come in, your jackpot is paid from their insurance payout, it’s that simple.

With certain state lottery games in India restricted to players living in these regions, international lottery game operators are helping to make lotteries a worldwide pastime with a global audience.