An Indian resident of Abu Dhabi has been revealed as the UAE's first Dh100 million lottery winner – and he has his mother to thank for his remarkable good fortune.
Anilkumar Bolla, 29, said the jackpot success was “beyond his wildest dreams” – as he set his sights on splashing the cash on a supercar and a lavish hotel stay. He said the life-changing win was still to sink in, after he was told of his newfound wealth in a “surreal” phone call with a UAE Lottery representative.
Mr Bolla said he was relaxing at home when he was given the stunning news that he was Dh100m richer after picking out all seven numbers in the Lucky Day draw on October 18. He first told a colleague he had struck it lucky before calling his brother back home in India to tell him about his mega windfall.
“This win is beyond my wildest dreams,” said Mr Bolla. “When I received a call from The UAE Lottery, I thought it was surreal. I kept asking them to repeat the message. It took time to sink in, and even today, I still can’t believe my new reality. This sum will change my life forever. I plan to buy a supercar first and treat myself to a month-long stay at a seven-star hotel.”
After treating himself to some luxuries that once seemed beyond reach, he vowed to invest in his future. “I will also take time to carefully plan how to invest this money wisely. My win is proof that hope and luck can align for anyone, especially when they least expect it.”
He pledged to use his winnings to bring his family to live with him in the UAE.
Mr Bolla's winning numbers were not randomly selected. He picked the number 11 in the month section of the draw in honour of the month his mother was born.
A lottery win that will light up his life and that of his family proved extra special, coming on the eve of this year's Diwali celebrations.
“It feels like an exceptional blessing,” said Mr Bolla. “Winning on such an auspicious occasion makes it even more meaningful.”
How do you play the Dh100m game?
The Lucky Day lottery draw follows a calendar format, with players asked to select six numbers from a possible 31 from a “day” section of the online draw card and one number from 12 in the “month” section. Players must register on the official website to participate. There are 43 numbers to pick from.
The winning numbers for the Dh100m top prize were 7, 10, 11, 18, 25 and 29, with the month number being 11.
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Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
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The UN-brokered ceasefire deal for Hodeidah will be implemented in two stages, with the first to be completed before the New Year begins, according to the Arab Coalition supporting the Yemeni government.
By midnight on December 31, the Houthi rebels will have to withdraw from the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Al Saqef, coalition officials told The National.
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