It is a name synonymous with the festival of many shades – winnings, shopping and entertainment. The DSF Lexus Raffle draw brings with it the biggest rush of adrenaline year after year as one singular name is pulled out from a cask of rolling fates and fortunes. A total of 36 winners were announced last year - for some it was a persistent trial, for some it was a shared joy and then there are the rare few who won at their first try. Each winning coupon has a story of joyful tears and an acknowledgement that from that moment on, life would not be the same.
Rashid Saleh, a four-year-old Emarati boy was one among the winners last year, and the currency he selected was US dollars. In value, his was the biggest prize money given away. His father, who works at the Abu Dhabi airport said, “The Lexus draw is something that has the potential to leave a man smiling for life. When Rashid won, I shared the happiness with my family; we traveled, exchanged gifts and organised parties. It was like a dream that we lived through but I knew such an amount must be invested wisely. So, I chose to buy land with a large chunk of my winnings.”
“I had been trying my luck for 11 years, each DSF I would buy a coupon each day. In my heart, I knew someday my fate would shine. It is amazing how a small piece of paper worth AED 200 changed everything!” he amused.
K. A. Osman, a driver from the Indian subcontinent agreed, “I would buy the raffle coupon year after year but failed. It came to an extent when my friends and family would amuse at my persistence but I didn’t care for their words. I kept trying and last year I welcomed lady luck into my life. With the prize money I was able to begin the construction of my own home in India. I’ve created fixed deposits for the education of my children. I feel the best thing about this raffle is that it gave my family the fulfillment of a good shelter and a bright education too.”
“I have again bought the tickets this year but no luck so far – but I have reaped the rewards of trying with faith and I am hopeful still,” he smiled.
Another winner was Carol Bashoti, a Lebanese homemaker who has been a resident of UAE all her life. Her price currency was Mexican Peso, she said, “Based on the currency, I got a total of 35,000 AED in winnings. At the time, I wished I had selected some other currency but now I feel even content with the change that the prize brought with it. We are able to better sustain our needs and family. I have a baby girl and we are glad that she now has a brighter future thanks to DSF and our luck with it.”
“When I received the call from the DSF office informing me of the winning, I was thrilled. I called to inform my parents and friends but they refused to believe it. As onlookers they had noted that mostly the winners are from the subcontinent or from UAE itself so they felt I was probably joking with them. But it was the truth and from then on many of my associates have developed a deep trust in these raffles and we encourage everyone to try their luck. Who knows maybe you are the next winner? As for me, my try is still on and I am again hoping to receive that call this year!” she laughed.
Ibrahim Ali Mohammed from Yemen is a supervisor at Dubai Municipality, he held a very firm opinion about his winnings of last year, “I am an ardent shopper, and every time the festival is on I end up filling so many coupons and raffle tickets. Winning is surely a stroke of luck. It’s an answer to someone’s prayers, the reward of blessings. When I won I bought gifts for my family, especially for my mother because it is her hands that have raised me and my fortunes. I am blessed not just to have the prize but also the wishes of my mother.”
Humaid Bader Khalfan, an Emarati army officer from Abu Dhabi also won his prize last year. It was his first and last try at the raffles. He said, “We had come from Abu Dhabi to visit Dubai during the festival and I bought the coupon on insistence from my friends and family. I had even forgotten about it when I received the call the next evening. I set aside the Lexus ES350 for my personal use and have invested the remaining amount for the education of my son. The currency I selected was UAE dirham, it was a perfect opportunity of luck. Though I have not bought any more raffle coupons since then, I feel people should not lose heart about these events – they are unique in their offerings and they hold the potential to give your children a better tomorrow.”
And for Ranjith, a Bangladeshi hairdresser, the coupon came as a shot from the blue. He narrated, “We were new to the country at the time, we had not sent home any money and everything seemed bleak. But then one of the regular customers at the shop suggested we buy a raffle coupon for Lexus. We tossed the idea as a waste of money but he was keen. He felt if it’s a combined effort perhaps someone’s luck will shine and all of us will benefit. Five of us pooled AED 40 each for that coupon and now we are well settled in our respective lives. Indeed miracles happen and in that Dubai Shopping Festival we saw the true test of faith and friendship. If your ambition is clean, then nothing can stop you from reaching towards that moment of luck.”
The Lexus Mega Raffle, one among the highlights of the draws this DSF, is giving away two Lexus cars, the RX350 SUV and the ES350 luxury sedan - valued at an average of AED 400,000 -. Additionally, the daily lucky winner will take home a cash prize of 100,000, but in various currencies that the winner will choose through another draw. This particular prize giveaway of the raffle follows the huge success it witnessed when implemented for the first time last year. The currencies featured include the Pound Sterling, US Dollar, Euro, and the UAE Dirham, among others.
Raffle coupons are available at selected ENOC and Eppco fuel stations in addition to kiosks at the following locations: Deira City Centre, Al Ghurair City, Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Festival City, Gold Souq, Baniyas Street, Naif, Al Fahidi Street, UAE Exchange outlets, BurJuman, Ibn Batutta Mall, and the Night Souk at Al Seef Street.
