After 15 years of buying tickets Dubai man finally wins DSF raffle

DUBAI // A 58-year-old Sudanese man is celebrating after winning two cars and Dh100,000 in a Dubai Shopping Festival draw.

Zaher Al Dein Mohammed Ismail had bought raffle tickets every year for 14 years. On Sunday, he finally got lucky in the daily Infiniti Mage Raffle draw.

"Every year since 1999 I used to dream big and that was only to win a DSF raffle," said the delighted trader, who exports from Dubai to Sudan.

"I did not give up and this is why I think my dream finally came true. I had a lot of hope that I will win some day."

Mr Ismail bought his ticket from an Eppco petrol station in Al Mamzar and plans to donate half of the prize money to charity. The rest will help pay for two of his six children to get married.

The daily raffle offers the chance for festival visitors to win JX35 and G25 Infiniti models along with Dh100,000 in cash.

Tickets cost Dh200 and are available at selected Eppco and Enoc petrol stations, as well as kiosks on main streets, in malls and at Global Village.

Other competitions include the daily Nissan Grand Raffle, in which winners can drive home one of 12 Nissan models of their choice.

Customers are entitled to a raffle coupon for every Dh20 spent on fuel at Eppco or Enoc, or for every Dh200 spent at participating shops.

nhanif@thenational.ae