ABU DHABI – During this week, three expatriates — two Indians and a Nepalese national — struck life-changing lottery wins across the UAE, collectively taking home around Dh53.75 million in prizes that transformed ordinary routines into extraordinary turns of fate.
From Abu Dhabi to Dubai, the winners — a restaurateur, a compliance officer and a long-term lottery hopeful — each carried their own story of persistence, routine and quiet hope before luck finally arrived.
A free ticket, a family choice, and Dh20 million in Abu Dhabi
For Bahrain-based Indian restaurateur Krishnakumar Syamala Ravindran, 43, the moment of fortune came not from a calculated strategy but from chance and family participation.
After seven years of trying his luck in the Abu Dhabi Big Ticket draw, Krishnakumar won Dh20 million using a complimentary ticket received through a “buy-two-get-two” promotion.
The winning numbers, he later said, were selected by his wife and sister while he was on a family vacation in Kerala. The ticket — number 339729 — had a striking detail: it carried a value of zero dirhams, as it was issued free as part of the promotion.
When organisers attempted to contact him after the draw, his phone in Bahrain was switched off. He later learned of the win after being reached via WhatsApp on his India number.
Krishnakumar, who has lived in Bahrain for more than two decades and runs a restaurant in Manama, said he had begun participating in such draws during a difficult phase in his business. What started as a hopeful gesture became a seven-year habit.
Beyond personal plans, he said his immediate priority would be to assist a close friend and business partner who has been in a coma following a serious accident, including arranging his treatment and repatriation to India.
Nepalese expat becomes UAE Lottery’s first Dh30 million winner
In Abu Dhabi, Nepalese expatriate Tayab Khan was named the first-ever Dh30 million Grand Prize winner of the UAE Lottery after organisers confirmed his full identity following days of speculation.
A resident of Abu Dhabi, Tayab matched all winning numbers with a set of randomly selected picks in the Lucky Day draw held on April 27, coinciding with Eid Al Adha.
He later told organisers he was not even watching the draw when it took place and discovered his win only after receiving an email notification.
“I’m feeling absolutely amazing, like I’m in the sky,” he said in his first reaction, describing the moment of discovery as overwhelming.
The win marked a milestone for the redesigned lottery format, which replaced the earlier Dh100 million jackpot structure with a Dh30 million top prize.
Indian compliance officer wins $1 million in Dubai Duty Free draw
In Dubai, persistence paid off for Indian expat Gaurav Madaan, 42, a compliance officer who has lived in the UAE since 2023.
After more than five years of trying, Madaan won $1 million in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire draw with ticket number 2916, purchased online in May.
Originally from Sonipat in India, he said the win fulfilled a long-held dream and expressed gratitude to organisers. He plans to invest the winnings in property in the UAE.
The Dubai Duty Free draw has long been one of the most popular lottery-style promotions in the country, particularly among Indian expatriates, who remain its largest group of participants.
Luck, persistence and everyday lives transformed
Across the three wins, a common thread runs through each story — long periods of routine participation, family involvement in number selection, and moments of disbelief when fortune finally arrived.
Together, the Dh20 million Big Ticket prize, the Dh30 million UAE Lottery jackpot, and the $1 million Dubai Duty Free win reflect how, for many expatriates in the UAE, a single ticket continues to carry the weight of long-held hopes — and, occasionally, life-changing outcomes.
