29-YO Indian man Anilkumar Bolla picks mom’s birthday as UAE Lottery number, wins Rs 240 Cr jackpot

29-year-old Indian expatriate from Abu Dhabi, Anilkumar Bolla, has become an overnight multimillionaire after winning the UAE’s largest-ever lottery jackpot, a huge amount of 100 million dirhams (around Rs 240 crore).

Bolla, who hails from Andhra Pradesh and has been living in Abu Dhabi for several years, struck gold in the 23rd Lucky Day Draw held on October 18, beating odds of 1 in 8.8 million, as reported by Khaleej Times.

UAE Lottery features winner Anilkumar Bolla

The UAE Lottery shared the moment that transformed Bolla’s life on X, posting a video of the winner being showered with golden confetti as he received his ceremonial cheque.

It read, “From anticipation to celebration, this is the reveal that changed everything! Anilkumar Bolla takes home AED 100 Million! A Lucky Day we’ll never forget. For Anilkumar, Oct. 18 wasn’t just another day; it was the day that changed everything.”

In the emotional clip, the Indian winner recalled how he chose his winning ticket and how one number made all the difference.

“I haven’t done any magic or something, so I just chose the Easy Pick… The last number is very special. It’s my mum’s birthday,” he said.

Recalling the moment he discovered his win, Bolla remarked, “I was in shock. I was sitting on the sofa, and I’m just feeling that, yes, I won it.”

While Bolla dreams of celebrating his victory in style with a supercar and a stay at a seven-star resort, his most heartfelt wish is to reunite with his family.

“I was just thinking about how I need to invest this amount, spend it in the right way,” the winner said. “After winning this amount, I felt like I have money. Now, I need to work on my thoughts in the right way, and I want to do something big.”

“I just want to take my family to the UAE, and I want to enjoy my whole life staying with them,” he added. 

The young winner also plans to give back to society.

He said, “I do have a plan to donate some of the money to charity. Because I believe that donations will reach out to the people who will really require the money. So that gives me core happiness.”

Anilkumar further said, “I believe that everything happens for a reason. I suggest each and every player to keep playing, and for sure, one day luck will come to you.”

He also thanked the UAE Lottery for giving him a “very big opportunity” and hoped it would continue to “bring joy to others in the years to come.”

From anticipation to celebration, this is the reveal that changed everything!
Anilkumar Bolla takes home AED 100 Million! A Lucky Day we’ll never forget. 🏆

For Anilkumar, Oct. 18 wasn’t just another day, it was the day that changed everything.
A life transformed, and a reminder… pic.twitter.com/uzCtR38eNE

— The UAE Lottery (@theuaelottery) October 27, 2025

Other prizes

Ten other participants also took home Dh100,000 (Rs 24 lakh) each, making it a “milestone moment” for the organisers.

Since its inception, the UAE Lottery has produced over 200 winners of Dh100,000 and collectively awarded more than Dh147 million in prizes to over 100,000 participants, according to Khaleej Times.

UAE does not levy income tax on lottery winnings, meaning Anilkumar Bolla will receive the entire Dh100 million tax-free.

However, India imposes heavy taxes on lottery winners, with a 30% flat rate, plus surcharges and cess that push the effective tax rate even higher.

A month ago, another Indian expatriate, 30-year-old Sandeep Kumar Prasad from Uttar Pradesh, had won Dh15 million (Rs 35 crore) in the Abu Dhabi Big Ticket Series 278 draw.

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