Mystery winner of record Dh100 million in UAE lottery (trans ₹240 crore) jackpot has finally been revealed. Anilkumar Bolla, a 29-year-old Indian expat and longtime resident of Abu Dhabi, is now the country’s newest multi-millionaire. He won the top prize in the 23rd Lucky Day draw #251018 held on October 18, Khaleej Times reported.
The jackpot was not shared, meaning Anilkumar will take home the entire Dh100 million. He matched all seven winning numbers, beating odds of 1 in 8.8 million.
Anilkumar said he was “at home resting” when he received a call from the UAE Lottery team. A regular participant since the lottery launched, he was “completely shocked and overjoyed” by the win.
Read also | Indian expat in Dubai wins 35cr jackpot, says ‘first time ever…’
“This win is beyond my wildest dreams. When I got the call, I thought it was unreal. I kept asking them to repeat the news. It took a long time to sink in and even today I still can’t believe my new reality,” Khaleej Times quoted Anilkumar as saying.
Asked how he would spend the money, Bolla said: “I was just thinking how I have to invest this amount, spend it in the right way. After winning this amount, I felt like ‘I have money’. Now I have to work on my thoughts in the right way. And I want to do something big.”
“I have a dream to buy a supercar. I want to celebrate this moment in a great resort or a 7-star hotel. I just want to take my family to the UAE and enjoy my whole life with them,” he said.
Read also | The American misses the jackpot by 1 number and wins ₹6.7 million on the second day
“My mom and dad had very small dreams. I want to fulfill any dreams they have,” he added.
While Anilkumar Bolla grabbed the headlines by winning the Dh100 million jackpot, he wasn’t the only lucky one that night. In the same draw, 10 participants also won Dh100,000 ( ₹24 million) each. Organizers called it a “milestone” for the UAE lottery.
Since its launch, the UAE Lottery has created more than 200 Dh100,000 winners and distributed Dh147 million (more than ₹343 crore) in total prizes for over 1 million players.
Scott Burton, UAE Lottery Commercial Games Director, congratulated Anilkumar. According to Burton, the huge prize will not only change his life, but also represent a great success for the lottery.
Read also | A jackpot worth ₹8,206 crore goes to the lucky winner
“First of all, congratulations to Anilkumar on this phenomenal win. The Dh100,000,000 prize will not only change his life but also mark a significant milestone for the UAE Lottery, enhancing our mission to uplift people’s lives while providing regulated, exciting and fun lotteries,” he said.
“Our growing participation base reflects the genuine interest and confidence players place in the UAE Lottery,” he added.
What tax will he pay?
There is no income tax on lottery winnings in the UAE, so the winner will receive the entire Dh100 million tax-free.
However, in India, lottery winnings are taxed at a flat rate of 30%, followed by a 15% surcharge on the tax amount (for winnings over ₹1 trillion) and a 4% health and education tax on the total.
That is, if someone wins ₹240 crore in India, they would pay more than ₹86 million in total taxes and take home approx ₹154 crore after deduction.
result
