On Saturday, a UAE resident won the first-ever Dh100 million grand prize of the UAE Lottery, in a moment which the raffle operator called a“historic milestone for the UAE's entertainment and gaming landscape".

The life of the winner, who was only identified as Anilkum** B**, is certainly going to drastically change, but how far and in what way?

To understand how such life-changing wins can transform a person's world, Khaleej Times spoke to previous lottery winners in the UAE to learn how their lives turned around overnight.

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In 2022, Indian expat Anish Krishnan had sent his wife and then 7-year-old daughter back home and was living in a bed space in Ajman to make ends meet.

That is when the IT engineer hit a Dh10-million jackpot with the Mahzooz draw. More than two years later, he is the proud owner of a villa in Dubai South and other properties around the UAE.

“The win unexpectedly changed my life forever,” he said.“At the time, I had taken a home loan to build a house in India, and I had calculated that my daughter would be 15 by the time I finished paying it off."

The first thing Anish did with his win was to pay off his loan. Then he brought his family back to Dubai.

“We live in Dubai South now and my daughter is in school here,” he said.“I bought a RAV4 vehicle, a fancy number, and a new Samsung S22. Otherwise, my life remains fairly the same. I am in the same job, and I live an ordinary life.”

He said he has invested his money and given away some in charity.“With my property investments in the UAE, I was able to get a Golden Visa last year,” he said.

“I helped a lot of my relatives in whatever way I could, and I am continuing to do so. Someday I hope to start my own business, but as of now, there is no concrete plan.”

He said that his top advice to the Dh100 million winner would be to think in a level-headed manner.“It is easy to overspend when you see a lot of money,” he said.“It is important not to rush into anything and think all the options through.”

For Al Ain resident Munavvar, his win in 2023 gave him opportunities that he had never known before. After working as a driver for several years, the expat won Dh20 million with the Big Ticket after buying an entry with several friends and family members.

“We all got around roughly Dh1 million,” he said.“At first, I just continued with my life as usual. A year later, I quit my job and started my own business.”

He said the move gave him“financial freedom” that he thoroughly enjoys.“There was no way I would have been able to save up enough to start my business in my job,” he said.“The business is going well. Other than that, there has been no change in my life. I didn't spend on any unnecessary luxuries. I live a simple life with no debt and a reasonable income.”

He and his group of friends continue to take tickets every month, even though the chance of a person winning a lottery twice is minuscule, with some estimates ranging from one in ten billion to one in 283 billion.

Another winner, Charlie (name changed on request) won the Big Ticket earlier this year along with a group of friends, each netting about Dh3.5 million.

“The win was a roller coaster of an experience,” he said.“People would abuse me on social media. Some even found my number and would call me, demanding that I give them a part of the money. Even now, I am scared of being targeted. That is why I don't want to give my name.”

Charlie said that he used the money to clear debts and get a head start in life.“It opened out a lot of opportunities that I would have otherwise not got,” he said.

“I cleared my debts and put some money in fixed deposits. I am still in the same job, but I have some financial freedom, and I want to use my funds intelligently to secure my future. None of my fellow winners quit their jobs either. We were careful not to rush into foolish decisions.”

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