Working for almost 15 years in the UAE, a Filipina expat never imagined she would welcome 2026 as a multimillionaire.
Anna Lee Gayongan, a senior account executive residing in Dubai, was announced as the grand prize winner of the Series 282 Big Ticket live draw, taking home a staggering AED 30 million, or around PHP 484 million.
Overwhelmed with joy upon hearing the news, Gayongan initially feared it might be a scam.
“Nalaman ko na may 9 missed calls na nga sila. Nag-callback ako kaso wala akong load. Kaya nakiusap ako sa asawa ko na bigyan ako ng load,” she told The Filipino Times. “At that time hindi pa niya alam na nanalo ako kasi hindi niya alam na bumibili ako ng ticket.”
Investing for the future
The win comes after more than a decade of working in the UAE, including a daily commute from Dubai to Abu Dhabi that she described as “very challenging.”
The grand prize, she said, lifted a huge weight off her shoulders—and she joked that she could now finally stop taking the bus to work.
“Pwede na akong maging Disney Princess,” she said laughing. “Magca-carlift na ako.”
Despite the life-changing prize, Gayongan and her family have yet to make any concrete plans, though they are certain that investing for their future will be a priority.
“We are thinking about buying properties and investing, but nothing is finalized,” she said.
The winning ticket
Gayongan recalled had previously purchased tickets with friends, but later began buying them on her own. Over the years, she took part in the Big Ticket draws, hoping for a lucky break.
The winning ticket was purchased during Big Ticket’s Buy 2 Get 1 Free promotion. Ironically, Gayongan did not win on the tickets she purchased, but hit the jackpot with the free promotional ticket instead, No. 074090, which secured her life-changing AED 30 million prize.
When asked if she would buy Big Ticket entries again, Gayongan said she would not, preferring to give others a chance. She also encouraged fellow overseas Filipino workers to try their luck, noting that wins can come unexpectedly, as she herself did not anticipate hers.
