(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Published: Wed 26 Jul 2023, 12:49 PM Last updated: Wed 26 Jul 2023, 9:47 PM
The excitement was palpable among the Filipino community, as John, a young expatriate from the Philippines, emerged as the eighth Filipino Mahzooz millionaire, winning the guaranteed raffle prize of Dh1,000,000 at the 138th weekly draw held on July 22.
The win makes John the 53rd millionaire to be crowned by Mahzooz, the UAE's leading weekly draw, which has given away more than Dh427 million in prize money to over 250,000 winners to date.
Mahzooz has become the favoured weekly draw among Pinoys in the region, offering not only a chance to win life-changing prizes but also creating a sense of community and connection among overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the UAE, GCC, and beyond. To date, around 54,000 OFWs have been fortunate recipients of more than Dh67,000,000 through Mahzooz.
The lucky young winner came to the UAE two years ago to work alongside his mother as a filing clerk at his uncle's laundry in Karama, Dubai. The 26-year-old, who participates in Mahzooz every week, was left speechless when he saw that his Mahzooz account has increased by Dh1,000,000 overnight.
As John contemplates his future plans with the newfound fortune, he has expressed interest in investing in a laundry business in the UAE. While he hasn't finalised the specifics, he is considering whether to expand his uncle's existing laundry business or embark on a new venture in the same industry.
Additionally, John plans to support his father's farming business back home by sending some of the prize money to further enhance their family's livelihood.
Filled with joy and gratitude, John conveyed his heartfelt sentiments about the life-changing win.“This is the first time I win anything in my entire life. Coming to the UAE was a huge step for me as I am the main bread winner for my large family. Now the UAE and Mahzooz have awarded me this huge prize which I still cannot fathom. My four brothers and two sisters are extremely happy for me and I am forever grateful for this huge win,” John said.
About 1278 winners were awarded a total of Dh1,511,750 in prize money. While the top prize of Dh20,000,000 went unclaimed this week, 30 participants matched four out of the following five numbers 3, 5, 11, 22, 48 and shared the second prize of Dh200,000, earning Dh6,667 each. 1,247 other winners matched three out of five numbers and received Dh250 each.
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