Abu Dhabi-based Indian expat shares how he spent his winnings and what matters most a year later.
Abu Dhabi: A year ago, Anilkumar Bolla’s life changed when he won Dh100 million in The UAE Lottery. Twelve months on, the Indian expat says the biggest reward is not the money itself, but the opportunity to spend more time with the people who matter most.
The past year has brought him greater freedom, new experiences and the chance to put his family first. He has supported his loved ones, bought property in the UAE and India, travelled and begun giving serious thought to his own business ambitions.
Asked what matters most to him today, his answer is simple. “The most important thing is that I’m spending quality time with my family,” he said.
His historic win
At 29, Bolla, an IT professional from the southern Indian state of Telangana, made history in October 2025 by winning The UAE Lottery’s Dh100 million jackpot, the largest lottery prize awarded in the country.
An Abu Dhabi resident who had been living in the UAE for around 18 months at the time, Bolla won the prize in the 23rd Lucky Day Draw, held on October 18, 2025. He matched all seven winning numbers, overcoming odds of approximately one in 8.8 million.
The son of a farming family, he had purchased 12 tickets for the draw. His choice of the number 11 held special significance, as a tribute to his mother’s birth month.
Family comes first
Asked to sum up the past year in a single word, Anilkumar chose “transformative”.
“Winning the lottery reshaped my life and my ambitions as well,” he said.
One of his first priorities was to fulfil a long-held wish of his mother’s. He gifted her a gold necklace, several rings and bangles.
“It was her dream to have a few ornaments, so I brought it all together and gifted it to her,” he said. The gesture brought tears of joy to her eyes.
The family continues to live in the same house in India, which Anilkumar describes as his father’s dream home. He also found a way to support his father’s passion by gifting him farmland where he can pursue organic farming.
“My happiness is always linked to my family,” he said. “Whatever I’ve done for them, those things are really special to me, and those are the things that make me the happiest, more than what I do for myself.”
Planning for the future
As the year progressed, Anilkumar’s focus shifted from celebration to long-term planning. He bought property in both the UAE and India as part of a longer-term approach to managing his winnings. He has also begun exploring other ventures and potential business opportunities.
The UAE remains central to his plans. He sees himself continuing to build his future here while maintaining close ties with India.
“There are some dreams which I have fulfilled, and there are some I have to work on in the future,” he said.
His experience also highlights a message he has returned to since his win: a major prize can open up new possibilities, but managing the opportunities it brings requires thought and discipline. The UAE Lottery said his outlook reflects the company’s emphasis on responsible play and encouraging participants to stay within their limits.
A year of new experiences
Over the past 12 months, Anilkumar has also made time to travel and enjoy new adventures with friends and family. While he has embraced these opportunities, he says the initial excitement surrounding his win has naturally settled.
“Somehow, the excitement has faded away, but I’m really grateful for the opportunities I’m getting and the things I’m doing,” he said.
The win has also brought an unexpected level of recognition, with people occasionally approaching Anilkumar after recognising him as The UAE Lottery’s Dh100 million winner. But a year on, his attention is firmly on the future rather than the win that thrust him into the public eye.
His advice to other big-prize winners is straightforward: “Welcome to the millionaire’s club. Stay humble and spend your money in a disciplined way.”
