For years, five friends working in the UAE shared a common goal of building better lives for themselves and their families. Along the way, they also shared lottery tickets, celebrated small wins and encouraged one another to keep believing. On May 27, that belief paid off in a life-changing way.
Nepalese expat Tayab Khan, a 26-year-old security guard based in Abu Dhabi’s Ruwais Industrial Area, became the face of the Dh30-million win after the group’s ticket matched the winning numbers in The UAE Lottery’s Lucky Day draw. The jackpot will be split equally among the five friends, giving each of them Dh6 million.
But for Khan, the story is not about one winner. “It’s not only my life that has changed. It has changed all of our lives,” he told Khaleej Times.
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Khan moved to the UAE from Nepal four years ago in search of better opportunities. Like many expatriates, he worked hard, supported his family and looked towards the future. In early 2024, while scrolling through Facebook, he came across The UAE Lottery and suggested to his friends that they participate together.
The group decided to pool their money and buy tickets regularly. Every week, one of them would take turns selecting the numbers.
There was no secret formula for the group to choose the number, and at times they chose family-related numbers. Other times they picked numbers randomly. Over time, they started matching one number, then two, then three. Occasionally, they won small prizes. Those wins were never life-changing, but they gave the friends confidence that something bigger could be possible.
“We kept participating and kept believing. There were times when it felt like it wasn’t going to happen, but we never lost hope, and I selected the winning ticket,” said Khan.
When the results were being announced, Khan was not even watching the draw, and the news arrived in the form of an email notification. At first, he did not pay much attention to it. “I had received similar emails before for small prizes, so I didn’t think much of it,” he said.
Everything changed when he opened the message. “It said Dh30 million. My hands were shaking. My legs were shaking. Everything was shaking. It felt like a dream. I couldn’t believe it was real.”
Khan was still unsure and logged into his account to verify the result himself. “There it was in golden letters — Dh30 million. That’s when I started thinking, “Is this actually even true?” said Khan.
The first people he contacted were the four friends who had shared the ticket with him. Soon after that he made another call, one that meant even more. “He is my uncle, whom I consider a father figure. I informed him first. He is in Nepal,” said Khan.
The uncle was the person who helped him begin his journey in the UAE and has remained one of the most important people in his life. “I explained what The UAE Lottery was and told him I had won,” said Khan, adding that his uncle initially struggled to understand what had happened.
“He asked me how much. When I told him 30 million dirhams, he was completely speechless. Tears came to his eyes,” said Khan.
Multiple dreams come true
For the new millionaire, one of the most rewarding parts of the win is seeing how it will impact the people around him. One of the friends who shared the ticket has spent years away from his family. Another recently got married. One has just become a father.
“Now he can spend precious time with his child and family. I am very happy for all of us,” said Khan.
The jackpot has also brought a lifelong dream within reach. “My first priority is building a house for my family in Nepal,” he said, adding that he had always wanted to provide a better home for his loved ones and was already working towards that goal before the win.
“Now I can build a proper house in a good location with everything a family needs.”
The win has also encouraged him to think differently about his future. After spending four years working as an employee, Khan hopes to explore entrepreneurship and investment opportunities. He is particularly interested in real estate and may invest in property in Dubai.
While most of the money will go towards long-term goals, he admits there are a couple of personal items he has dreamed of owning for years — like a Mahindra Thar and a Rolex watch.
The news was very emotional for someone else close to him. Khan has been in a relationship since before moving to the UAE and said that his partner supported him throughout his journey. When he shared the news, she initially found it difficult to believe.
“When I had nothing, she was there. She saw my struggles, my hard work, everything. I had to show her the winning ticket. She was completely speechless.”
