As UAE Lottery’s Chief Celebration Officer, Brett Lee will meet winners and take part in interviews, content and community activities.
Former Australian cricketer Brett Lee has a simple piece of advice for lottery winners: celebrate the moment, but take your time before making any major decisions.
“You don’t have to make every decision on day one,” Lee told Khaleej Times.
He advised UAE Lottery winners to give themselves time to process the news, speak with people they trust, understand the options available to them and carefully consider what they want to do next.
Lee, who has been appointed the UAE Lottery’s Chief Celebration Officer, will meet winners, listen to their stories and participate in interviews, content and community activities as part of his new role.
“A major win is a huge moment, so enjoy the celebration, take some time to let it sink in and think carefully about what comes next,” he said.
For Lee, however, the story goes beyond the size of the prize. He is particularly interested in the people behind the winning tickets and how a life-changing win affects them and their families.
“We see a winner and a prize amount, but there’s a person and a whole story behind that,” he said. “Those details tell you much more about someone than the number on the cheque.”
Lee said he was looking forward to hearing the personal stories behind each win — from the moment winners realised they had won and the first person they contacted to their families’ reactions and the decisions they made once the initial excitement had settled.
Lee said his role would be centred on listening to winners, understanding their experiences and helping tell their stories, rather than advising them on how to celebrate or what decisions they should make next.
Why Lee accepted the role
Lee said the UAE Lottery’s focus on responsible entertainment, transparency and regulation played an important part in his decision to take on the role.
The UAE Lottery is operated by The Game LLC and regulated by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority. Lee said the regulatory framework appealed to him, drawing a comparison with professional sport, where rules, integrity and fair play are fundamental.
“There’s also the human side of the role,” he said. “The UAE is home to people from all over the world, so I’m looking forward to meeting different people, hearing their stories and being there to celebrate some memorable moments with them.”
Lee said his years as a professional cricketer had also shown him how shared celebrations can bring people together. Some of his most memorable experiences came from celebrating significant victories with teammates and sharing those moments with supporters.
He hopes to bring a similar sense of connection to his new role, while recognising that every winner will have a different story and their own way of celebrating a life-changing moment.
Message about responsible participation
Lee also stressed that the excitement surrounding a win should go hand in hand with responsible participation.
He said the UAE Lottery is intended as a form of entertainment for eligible UAE residents aged 18 and above, adding that participants should be aware of their limits and remain within them.
“Celebrating responsibly doesn’t take anything away from the excitement of a win,” said Lee. “It helps make sure we are enjoying the experience in the right way.”
In the coming months, Lee is expected to meet winners, participate in interviews and attend community activities as part of his role. He also intends to bring some of his trademark personality to the celebrations, including a familiar gesture from his cricketing days.
“There will be plenty of celebrations, and I am sure my signature chainsaw celebration will make an appearance or two,” he said.
