It was an ordinary day that turned extraordinary for Anilkumar Bolla, a 29-year-old Indian expat living in Abu Dhabi. Relaxing at home, he received a life-changing call — he’d just won the record-breaking Dh100 million (₹240 crore) jackpot in the UAE Lottery’s 23rd Lucky Day Draw #251018 held on October 18.
Unlike many other jackpots, this one wasn’t shared. Anilkumar beat odds of 1 in 8.8 million to claim the entire prize himself. “When they told me, I was completely shocked. I kept asking them to repeat it — it felt unreal,” he shared, still trying to process the win.
A regular lottery player since the UAE Lottery’s launch, Anilkumar said this victory was beyond his wildest dreams. “Now I want to invest smartly, think clearly, and do something big,” he said with excitement.
And yes, he already has a few dreams lined up:
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Buying a supercar 🚗
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Celebrating at a luxury resort or a 7-star hotel 🌴
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Bringing his family to the UAE for a life of comfort and happiness
“My parents always had small dreams. Now I want to fulfill every one of them,” he said proudly.
The same draw also made 10 more winners, each bagging Dh100,000 (₹24 lakh). Since launching, the UAE Lottery has created over 200 winners and distributed more than Dh147 million (₹343 crore) in prizes.
The best part? No taxes in the UAE — Anilkumar gets the full Dh100 million, unlike in India where such winnings would lose about ₹86 crore to taxes.
A true jackpot fairytale — from an Abu Dhabi living room to millionaire status overnight!
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