UAE Lottery Dh5m winner Murugananth Govinthan reveals number-picking secret, regrets Dh30m near-miss

Dubai: Wiping tears, then flashing a wide smile and jumping with joy as golden confetti rained down on him, UAE Lottery's first Dh5 million winner Murugananth Govinthan has shared a message for anyone who has ever struggled: one day, it can all turn around.

In an emotional video interview posted on social media by the UAE Lottery hours after the announcement of his full identity on Wednesday, the Indian expat spoke candidly about his hardships, his humble beginnings in Dubai and the way he picked the six numbers that changed his life.

"I've had many difficult days in life. After pushing through hardships, I reached a new level, and it gave me a belief that people who struggle can also rise one day. No matter how hard life gets, one day it can become better," he said.

Murugananth said the win felt like a culmination of a lifetime of quiet perseverance.

"All day, I kept thinking about my past struggles. That belief was strong in me that day — and how hard the last 43 years were, my marriage, my children's education, the responsibilities," he said.

Originally from Kanniyakumari district in Tamil Nadu, he had been working in the south Indian state before deciding to seek opportunities abroad. "At that time, I attended many interviews and got a job in Dubai," he said.

He arrived in the UAE just months ago. "I first came to Dubai on May 25, 2025. After that, I joined work the very next day. I consider that date as an auspicious day, and I believe it has changed my life," he said. He has been living in Dubai for the past ten months.

When it came to picking his lottery numbers, Murugananth did not leave it to chance. He turned to the most meaningful dates in his life.

"My engagement date is on the 7th of November. I chose numbers based on that…My daughter's birth year is 2015, so I chose 15. Those were my first three numbers," he explained.

The next three numbers were chosen by his close friend and co-ticketholder, Babu Rao. "For the last number, we discussed between 5 or 6 and decided on 6," Murugananth said.

It was a decision that paid off handsomely, but one that also came with a tinge of regret.

"If we had chosen 3, we could have won 30 million," he said, pausing on the thought of what might have been.

The Dh5 million second prize will be split equally between Murugananth and Babu Rao. The two friends had shared the cost of the winning Dh50 ticket from the very beginning.

"The first time I logged in using my ID, we bought a Dh50 ticket. From that ticket, for the first time, we won Dh5 million. The two of us are going to share this money," he said.

Murugananth said he was motivated to buy tickets after watching a video of the UAE Lottery's Dh100 million winner Anilkumar Bolla.

He had been buying tickets for only a short while before fate intervened. "Last week, I logged in with my ID and bought a ticket, and that's when I got selected as a winner," he said.

As Gulf News previously reported, Murugananth won the Dh5 million second prize in Lucky Day draw number 260214, held on Saturday, February 14, after matching all six numbers from the 'Days' section. His winning numbers were 11, 19, 28, 15, 31 and 7.

The UAE Lottery, operated by Game LLC and regulated by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), holds the Lucky Day Draw weekly every Saturday at 8.30pm. The draw features a Dh30 million grand prize and a Dh5 million second prize, alongside the weekly Lucky Chance Raffle, which awards three winners Dh100,000 each.