Expat in UAE Makes History with $1 Million Win in Dubai Duty Free Raffle

Expat wins 1 million in Dubai Duty Free as Mohammad Khan Barakzai, a 44-year-old Afghan national residing in Dubai since 2014, became the first person from his country to win the prestigious Dubai Duty Free (DDF) Millennium Millionaire raffle. Barakzai won the grand prize in Series 519 with ticket number 1700, purchased online in September 2025.

A father of three and owner of a Business Bay interior decoration firm, Barakzai received the life-changing news during the draw at Dubai International Airport. Proud and thankful, he expressed his long-held dream of winning the promotion, praising DDF as one of the most genuine raffles worldwide.

Alongside Barakzai, Indian expat Danny Telis, based in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, won $1 million in Series 518. Telis, originally from Mumbai, has resided in Tabuk for over three years and plans to invest his winnings in Dubai, where he previously lived for 13 years. Telis is the 261st Indian national to claim the $1 million prize, making Indian nationals the largest group of winners.