UAE lottery: Indian expat wins Rs 12 crore jackpot on first ticket, plans to build ‘dream home’

In a dream-come-true moment for Indian-origin expat Murugananth Govinthan, the UAE Lottery’s lucky draw was announced Wednesday, and the 42-year-old hit the jackpot by winning 5 million dirham (over Rs 12 crore) after purchasing his first ticket and sharing it with a close friend. Govinthan, who is an Indian resident of the UAE, struck gold with his beginner’s luck as he registered with The UAE Lottery, which is operated by the Game LLC and purchased his very first ticket along with his close friend. Govinthan won 5 million dirham (over Rs 12 crore), which will be split between him and his friend. The company in a statement, as reported by Gulf News, said, “With that single ticket, they claimed the Dh5 million second prize, splitting the life-changing winnings. The increased prize, up from Dh1 million, has sparked fresh excitement and renewed hope among players across the Emirates.” > A life-changing moment for our AED 5 Million winner! 🏆Murugananth, a first-time participant, has been revealed as the first-ever AED 5 Million Second Prize winner. With a single ticket shared with a close friend, six numbers aligned — turning an ordinary decision into an… pic.twitter.com/ggt9lDcSAZ— The UAE Lottery (@theuaelottery) February 25, 2026 A life-changing moment for our AED 5 Million winner! 🏆Murugananth, a first-time participant, has been revealed as the first-ever AED 5 Million Second Prize winner. With a single ticket shared with a close friend, six numbers aligned — turning an ordinary decision into an… pic.twitter.com/ggt9lDcSAZ The lucky draw was held on February 14, wherein Govinthan won the jackpot with the draw number 260214 after matching all six numbers from the ‘Days’ section. Govinthan’s lucky numbers were 11, 19, 28, 15, 31 and 7. Govinthan, who has been living with his family in a rented house, expressed his jubilation after winning the lucky draw and said that owning a house has always been their long-held dream. “I couldn’t stop thinking about everything I’ve been through over the past three years, the challenges, my marriage, my children’s education, and all the responsibilities on my shoulders. That’s why I came to the UAE. I didn’t expect it to happen so soon. I feel very happy,” Govinthan said. The first-time winner of the lucky draw added, “We are still living in a rented house and have always wanted to build our own home. My children want that too. The situation didn’t allow it before, but now I feel I’m on the way to resolving these struggles. I feel happy and consider this a great blessing from God.”