A year after Dh100 million win, UAE Lottery winner says family time is the real prize

Twelve months after his historic win, the IT professional from Telangana, who was 29 at the time and had lived in the UAE for about 18 months, described the past year as “transformative”.

A transformative year

Anilkumar matched all seven winning numbers in the Lucky Day Draw on 18 October 2025, beating odds of roughly one in 8.8 million and claiming the largest lottery prize ever awarded in the country.

“Winning the lottery reshaped my life and my ambitions as well,” he said.

The win has given him greater freedom, new experiences and the space to put his family first. He has supported his loved ones, bought property in the UAE and India, travelled and begun exploring his own business ambitions.

Family first

Among his first acts after winning was a heartfelt gift for his mother: a gold necklace, several rings and bangles. “It was her dream to have a few ornaments, so I brought it all together and gifted it to her,” he said. The gesture brought tears of joy to her eyes.

His family still lives in the same house in India, which Anilkumar described as his father’s dream home. He also supported his father’s passion by gifting him farmland where he can pursue organic farming.

“My happiness is always linked to my family,” he said. “Whatever I’ve done for them, those things are really special to me, and those are the things that make me the happiest, more than what I do for myself.”

Planning for the future

As the year progressed, Anilkumar shifted his focus from celebration to long-term planning. He bought property in both the UAE and India as part of a disciplined approach to managing his prize and has begun exploring other ventures and potential business opportunities.

The UAE remains central to those plans. He sees himself continuing to build his future there while maintaining close ties with India. “There are some dreams which I have fulfilled, and there are some I have to work on in the future,” he said.

His experience reflects a message he has returned to since winning: a major prize can bring new possibilities, but managing them requires thought and discipline. The UAE Lottery said his voice echoes the company’s core message encouraging players to stay responsible and within limits while they play.

Life after the win

Over the past 12 months, Anilkumar has also made time to travel and enjoy new adventures with friends and family. While he has embraced those opportunities, he said the excitement around the win has naturally settled.

“Somehow, the excitement has faded away, but I’m really grateful for the opportunities I’m getting and the things I’m doing,” he said.

The win has brought an unexpected degree of recognition, with people occasionally approaching him after spotting him as The UAE Lottery’s Dh100 million winner. But one year on, his focus is on what comes next rather than the win that brought him into the public eye.

Asked what matters most today, his answer was simple. “The most important thing is that I’m spending quality time with my family,” he said.

And what would he tell other big-prize winners? “Welcome to the millionaire’s club. Stay humble and spend your money in a disciplined way.”