Here’s how UAE’s Dh100 million lottery winner Anilkumar Bolla will get his money

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Lottery has revealed that its historic Dh100 million grand prize winner, Anilkumar Bolla, receives the entire jackpot amount in a single, tax-free transaction with no deductions or instalments, following a verification and approval process that takes several weeks.

In an exclusive interview with Gulf News, Scott Burton, commercial gaming director at The UAE Lottery, detailed the rigorous protocol behind disbursing the life-changing prize that made headlines across the country last month.

"The UAE Lottery is proud to offer full, tax-free payouts, meaning our winners receive the entire prize amount in a single transaction, without deductions or installments," Burton said.

Bolla, the 29-year-old Indian expat IT professional from Telangana, became the UAE's first-ever Dh100 million jackpot winner on October 18, 2025, when his ticket matched all seven numbers in the Lucky Day Draw Series No. 251018.

According to Burton, once a winner is identified, they are invited to The UAE Lottery headquarters for an in-person meeting where their identity is verified, required forms are completed, and the payout process is explained in detail.

"Following that, all documents are submitted for regulatory and banking approval. The verification and approval process typically takes several weeks, depending on the prize amount and regulatory requirements. Once cleared, the funds are transferred directly to the winner's bank account."

Burton further said: “This approach reflects our commitment to fairness, transparency, and player trust, and aligns with best practices observed in leading international lottery jurisdictions.”

Beyond the financial transaction, The UAE Lottery has established comprehensive support mechanisms for grand prize winners navigating sudden wealth.

"While we celebrate the life-changing impact of winning a major prize, we recognise that sudden wealth can bring both opportunities and new responsibilities. Our goal is to guide, not manage our winners through this transition, to help them navigate through it responsibly," Burton said.

A dedicated team walks grand prize winners through a detailed advisory briefing, encouraging them to seek independent, professional financial advice for informed decision-making.

The support extends to emotional wellbeing through a partnership with Takalam — which means 'talk' in Arabic — a platform offering confidential mental health support. "This ensures winners have access to expert help should they need it," Burton added.

As reported by Gulf News earlier, Anilkumar, who has lived in Abu Dhabi for just over 18 months and had been playing The UAE Lottery consistently for about a year, plans to invest his winnings in a dream villa on Saadiyat Island or Yas Island, the stock market, and launching an IT consultancy with a colleague. The winner also intends to bring his family to the UAE and donate part of his winnings to charity. Bolla has also mentioned that he doesn’t plan to resign from his job immediately, and will continue working.

Since Anilkumar's historic win, The UAE Lottery has witnessed a clear surge in engagement across the country.

"People across the country have shown renewed excitement and interest in The UAE Lottery and its games. The milestone win reminded everyone that winning is real and that life-changing prizes happen," Burton said.

The momentum continued with another major winner claiming Dh1 million in the most recent draw on Saturday, November 1, underscoring how active participation has become since the grand prize.

To date, he said The UAE Lottery has celebrated over 200 winners of Dh100,000 and more than 100,000 players have claimed prizes totalling over Dh147 million.

Burton confirmed that opportunities for similar life-changing wins will continue. "Every player can win. Like I mentioned, in our most recent draw last Saturday, another player won Dh1 million, proving that big wins continue draw after draw," he said.

The prize structure is designed to create multiple opportunities for players to win, from the Lucky Chance to the Grand Prize.

When asked about potential revisions to the jackpot amount or structure, Burton said: "There's always room to evolve at The UAE Lottery based on player interest and engagement. Our game design continually adapts to how players interact and play, creating a more exciting and rewarding experience over time."

As The UAE Lottery approaches its first anniversary this month, Burton hinted at special initiatives while keeping details under wraps.

"Over the past year, we have launched new game formats and iLottery experiences, adding even more excitement and variety for our players. We've celebrated thousands of winners and given away more than Dh147 million in total prizes," he said.

"It's safe to say there's a lot to look forward to, and plenty of reasons to stay tuned and keep playing."

He added that the operator regularly conducts customer surveys to gather feedback, ensuring games remain relevant, enjoyable, and aligned with player preferences.