A 26-year-old Nepalese security guard who moved to the UAE four years ago has won AED 30 million (US$8.17 million) in The UAE Lottery’s Lucky Day draw.
The winner, identified as Tayab Khan, shared the prize with four close friends after the group pooled their money and took turns selecting numbers. On this draw, it was Khan’s turn to choose the combination that ultimately matched the winning ticket.
Khan said he was not watching the live draw when the results were announced and only discovered his win after receiving an email notification.
“I had received similar emails before for small prizes, so I didn’t think much of it,” he recalled. “But when I opened the email and saw AED 30 million (US$8.17 million), my hands were shaking, my legs were shaking. It felt like a dream. Even now, it’s hard to express that feeling in words.”
The AED 30 million (US$8.17 million) jackpot will be split equally among the group, with each member receiving AED 6 million (US$ 1.63 million).
The friends had been playing together regularly, occasionally matching a few numbers and encouraging one another to continue. Khan said he created the group chat and jokingly named it “Future Millionaires” before the win. “After we won, I changed it to ‘Millionaires’,” he added.
The group reportedly used no fixed strategy when selecting numbers, alternating between random picks and personal references. “Sometimes I use family-related numbers, and sometimes I choose randomly,” he said. “This time, I just selected random numbers and submitted the ticket.”
Khan said he first learned about The UAE Lottery in early 2024 through social media and began participating after following other winners’ stories online. “I saw other people winning and always hoped that one day I could be a winner too,” he said. “We kept participating, kept believing, and eventually that day came.”
Khan said the win represents not only financial relief but also a chance to transform his future. His immediate priority is to build a home for his family in Nepal. “That’s the first thing I want to do,” he said.
He also plans to explore entrepreneurship and investment opportunities after working as an employee for the past four years. “I want to move to the next level,” he said.
The UAE Lottery confirmed the win as part of its Lucky Day draw, which is regulated by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA).