Miracle on the First Try: 42-Year-Old Expatriate Wins AED 5 Million with First Lottery Ticket Purchase
Indian Expatriate Wins AED 5 Million in UAE Lottery, Plans to Buy Dream Home
A 42-year-old Indian expatriate plans to fulfill his biggest dream of buying a house and moving his family from a rental property to their own home after winning the AED 5 million second prize in the new UAE lottery.
Muruganant Govindan was lucky enough to win on his very first attempt after registering for the Emirates Lottery and buying his first ticket. He purchased the ticket jointly with a close friend and will now split the second-tier prize with him. It is worth noting that the grand prize of AED 30 million in this lottery has not yet been won since its format change.
"I couldn't help but think about all the hardships I've endured over the past three years; my marriage, my children's education, and all the responsibilities I've had," Muruganant said. "That's why I came to the UAE. I didn't expect this to happen so soon. I am very happy."
Currently living with his family in a rented house, he said that owning a home has always been their long-held dream: "My children want the same thing. The circumstances didn't allow it before, but now I feel like I'm on the path to solving these problems. I consider this a great blessing from God."
🔴 About the UAE Lottery
The second-tier prize of AED 5 million was recently increased from AED 1 million, a move that organizers say has created new excitement among participants.
🔺 History: The lottery, operated by "The Game LLC," celebrated its first anniversary in November 2025. To date, it has had one grand prize winner of AED 100 million, four winners of AED 1 million, and more than 290 winners of AED 100,000.
🔺 Draw Time: The "Lucky Day" draw is held every Saturday at 8:30 PM.
🔺 Prizes: Include a grand prize of AED 30 million, a second prize of AED 5 million, and three "Lucky Chance" raffle prizes worth AED 100,000 each.
🔺 Oversight: All UAE lottery games are approved and regulated by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) to ensure transparency and responsible gaming.