A 26-year-old Nepalese security guard in Abu Dhabi has won the UAE’s first Dh30 million midweek lottery jackpot and plans to share the prize with four friends.
Tayab Khan said he was stunned after discovering he had won the Lucky Day draw on May 27. He and four friends had regularly pooled money to buy tickets through a group he named “Future Millionaires”, which he has since renamed “Millionaires”.
Khan said he selected the winning numbers at random and only realised he had won after opening an email from the lottery organisers. He first shared the news with his uncle in Nepal, whom he credits for helping him start his life in the UAE.
His Dh6 million share of the winnings will initially go towards building a house for his family in Nepal. He also plans to explore business and investment opportunities after working as an employee for the past four years.
Khan became only the second grand prize winner since the UAE Lottery was launched. The top prize was reduced from Dh100 million to Dh30 million in December, with draws now held weekly and an additional midweek draw introduced in April.