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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Charlie Duffield

Man earning just £330 a month wins £7million in lottery after buying ticket on birthday

A carwash manager who earns a living of £330 a month has become one of the biggest ever jackpot winners in the United Arab Emirates.

The man, from India, scooped nearly £7million in a prize draw.

Kathar Hussain utilised the advice he was given by customers to buy the winning ticket and also borrowed some of the tip money from a friend, who will receive a portion of the winning money.

Millions of viewers watched who would win the record prize in the UAE's Big Ticket draw and when the ticket was selected, the show host got in touch with the lucky winner Kathar to let him know the good news.

However viewers were disheartened by his reaction, as his phone was switched off and he made a trip back home to visit his family in India.

He was later tracked down to his home in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

It turns out he was already aware of the good news as he was watching the show online, and said he could not begin to imagine earning so much money.

He said he had collected the ticket on his birthday, which seemed to be lucky for him, but that typically the entry ticket price was too much for him to participate as frequently as he would have liked.

Kathar utilised the advice he was given by customers to buy the winning ticket (Newsflash)

He said: "I have not often been able to purchase tickets, only some 7-8 times over the past five years.

"I used to save money each month and then along with my friend Devaraj's contributions, buy a ticket."

He added one of the first things he planned to do would be to share some of it with his Devaraj who had helped him save up the money from their tips at the car wash to buy the winning ticket.

The AED 30 million prize (£7million) that he eventually scooped was revealed to be the biggest in the competition's 30-year history.

Speaking to local media, the lucky winner said: "I earn AED 1,500 every month [£330]. Even if I work every day and spent nothing, I would still never earn so much as I've just one in a lifetime.

"I was watching the show and was in India at my friend's home when I realised I was the winner."

He said he was unable to speak because he was so shocked and that he had never dreamed that such a day would come.

In the future, he plans to move back to the UAE where he has lived for seven years but this time with his family.

But he also plans to look after the family that remains behind and keep roots there by building a house.

He also will not be idle, saying that although he will give up his current job, he plans to start his own business although he did not say what that would involve.

The next prize in the game is likely to be even bigger, AED 35 million (£7.7 million) with the draw due in January, but Hussain won't be buying tickets for the draw.

He said: "I won't be trying my luck again. Whatever Allah has given me is enough."

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