An Indian expatriate hailing from Kerala, aged 29, has achieved multimillionaire status by clinching the UAE’s largest-ever lottery jackpot of 100 million Dhiram (equivalent to about Rs 240 crore). Anilkumar Bolla, a resident of Abu Dhabi for an extended period, managed to match all seven numbers in the 23rd Lucky Day Draw conducted recently, beating odds of 1 in 88 lakh, as per the Khaleej Times, a newspaper based in Dubai.
Bolla disclosed that he opted for the Easy Pick feature to select his winning ticket, which automatically generated a number combination. However, he made a conscious decision to include the number 11 from the “Months set” to pay tribute to his mother on her birthday.
In the wake of his victory, Bolla announced his intentions to fulfill his parents’ aspirations, relocate them to the UAE, and allocate a portion of his windfall to charitable causes. Initially purchasing 12 tickets in a single transaction, each Lucky Day ticket costs Dh50 (approximately Rs 1,285).
This act of homage solidified his position as the first-ever recipient of a Dh100 million prize in the nation’s lottery history, according to a report from Gulf News, another Dubai-based news outlet. During the draw, Bolla was at home relaxing when he received the life-changing call from the UAE Lottery team. Describing himself as a devoted participant in the lottery since its inception, he expressed his complete astonishment and delight upon receiving the news.
In a video shared by the UAE Lottery team on Monday, Bolla was heard exclaiming, “I was in shock. I was sitting on the sofa, and I’m just feeling that, yes, I won it.” Subsequent to the substantial windfall, Bolla began to focus on organizing his thoughts effectively. “After winning this amount, I felt like I had money. Now, I need to work on my thoughts in the right way, and I want to do something big,” he articulated.
Bolla has articulated his plans to utilize the prize money to realize his parents’ dreams, bring them to the UAE, acquire a high-end car, and commemorate the win at a deluxe resort. “I just want to take my family to the UAE, and I want to enjoy my whole life staying with them,” he expressed. “My dad and parents have very small dreams, and I want to fulfill all their dreams. I want to take care of them,” he added.
Besides fulfilling personal and familial aspirations, Bolla also intends to contribute a portion of his winnings to charitable causes. “I do have a plan to donate some of the money to charity. Because I believe that donations will reach out to the people who will really require the money. So that gives me core happiness,” he conveyed. He also imparted a message to fellow lottery players, stating, “I believe that everything happens for a reason. I suggest to each and every player to keep playing, and for sure, one day luck will come to you.”
Khaleej Times reported that since its inception, the UAE Lottery has produced over 200 winners of 100,000 Dhiram, with more than 100,000 players collectively claiming over Dh147 million in prizes.