First Palestinian dollar millionaire for DDF

Lucky winner has been regularly buying tickets for seven years

AUAE resident for 39 years has become the latest dollar millionaire and the first Palestinian to win in the Dubai Duty Free Millionaire (DDF) promotion.

Faten Mohammad Al Bitm, 56, an accountant, won $1 million (Dh3.67 million) when her ticket number 4751 in Series 257 was drawn on Tuesday at the Dubai Airshow site in Dubai World Central.

The mother of three from Sharjah has been regularly buying DDF tickets for seven years. Her winning ticket was bought just before she flew to Lebanon for a holiday last month.

When asked about her immediate plans, she said: “I will buy a house in the US and save for the education of my children who are also studying there. Thank you so much, Dubai Duty Free!”

Dubai Duty Free also conducted its Finest Surprise draw directly after the Millennium Millionaire and announced two lucky winners of luxury vehicles.

Lady luck smiled on Mohammad Iqbal Pasha, 37, a Pakistani, who will be driving home a brand-new Porsche Panamera 4.

Pasha has been living in Dubai for six years. This was his second entry in the Finest Surprise.

“What a big surprise and I can’t believe my luck that I won a Porsche car,” he said.

Leena Mascarenhas was the last lucky resident in the draw, winning a BMW R 1200 GS Rally Special Edition. The 53-year-old Indian has been in Dubai for 26 years.

Courtesy: DDF Ramesh Cidambi, DDF’s chief operating officer; Salah Tahlak, executive vice-president-corporate services, and Nic Bruwer, executive vice-president-commercial at the draw held at the venue of the Dubai Airshow.