Dubai: The UAE Lottery on Wednesday revealed the full identity of its first-ever winner of the Dh5 million second prize in the new format of the Lucky Day draw launched in December 2025 with a Dh30 million jackpot.

Indian expat Murugananth Govinthan was announced as the winner of the life-changing prize.

It was beginner’s luck for the 42-year-old as he won the prize with his very first ticket, sharing it with a close friend, revealed The UAE Lottery, operated by the Game LLC.

“With that single ticket, they claimed the Dh5 million second prize, splitting the life-changing winnings. The increased prize, up from Dh1 million, has sparked fresh excitement and renewed hope among players across the Emirates,” the company stated.

Living in rented house

Murugananth shared his excitement: “I couldn’t stop thinking about everything I’ve been through over the past three years, the challenges, my marriage, my children’s education, and all the responsibilities on my shoulders. That’s why I came to the UAE. I didn’t expect it to happen so soon. I feel very happy.”

The first-time player said: “We are still living in a rented house and have always wanted to build our own home. My children want that too. The situation didn’t allow it before, but now I feel I’m on the way to resolving these struggles. I feel happy and consider this a great blessing from God.”

Lucky numbers

He struck gold in the draw number 260214 held on Saturday, February 14 by matching all six numbers from the 'Days' section. His lucky numbers were 11, 19, 28, 15, 31 and 7.

As first reported by Gulf News on February 5, the UAE Lottery had given a sneak peek into the identity of the winner by revealing his name as Murugan**G**in line with its policy to publish the partial names of the winners of mega prizes on its website. His first name was published with a special design marking the achievement with celebratory graphics that said “Super Win.

Many millionaires

The UAE Lottery, which celebrated its first anniversary in November 2025, has crowned one Dh100 million Grand Prize winner in its previous format, four Dh1 million winners, and over 290 Lucky Day, Lucky Chance, and scratch card players who took home Dh100,000 each.

The Lucky Day Draw is now held weekly every Saturday at 8.30pm, creating a new shared moment of anticipation for players in the UAE. The Dh5 million second prize sits alongside the Dh30 million Grand Prize and the weekly Lucky Chance Raffle, which awards three winners Dh100,000 each.

The operator said it upholds a strong commitment to responsible gaming, delivering education and support to maintain a positive and well-regulated player experience. “All games are fully approved and regulated by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), ensuring the integrity and transparency of the player experience,” it added.

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