Abu Dhabi: A year ago, Anilkumar Bolla's life changed for good when he won Dh100 million with The UAE Lottery. Twelve months on, the Indian expat in Abu Dhabi says the biggest reward is not the money itself, but the chance to spend more time with the people who matter most.
The past year has brought him greater freedom, new experiences and the space to put his family first. He has supported his loved ones, bought property in the UAE and India, travelled, and started thinking seriously about his own business ambitions.
Asked what matters most today, his answer is simple. "The most important thing is that I'm spending quality time with my family," he said.
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His historic win
Then 29-year-old, the IT professional from the south 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 back then, Anilkumar won the prize in the Lucky Day Draw held on October 18, 2025, after matching all seven winning numbers, overcoming odds of approximately one in 8.8 million.
Family comes first
Asked to sum up the year in a single word, he chose "transformative". "Winning the lottery reshaped my life and my ambitions as well," he said.
Among Anilkumar's first priorities was a heartfelt gift for his mother: 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 still lives in the same house in India, which Anilkumar describes as his father's dream home. He found another way to support his father's passion, 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 went on, Anilkumar's attention turned 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 prize, and has begun exploring other ventures and potential business opportunities.
The UAE remains central to those plans. He sees himself continuing to build his future here, while also keeping 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 reflects a message he has returned to since winning: a major prize can bring new possibilities but managing them takes thought and discipline. The UAE Lottery said his voice echoes the core message of company which encourages players to stay responsible and within limits while they play.
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 those opportunities, he says the excitement around the 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 degree of recognition, with people occasionally approaching him after spotting him as The UAE Lottery's Dh100 million winner. But one year on, his focus is on what comes next rather than the win that brought him into the public eye.
And what would he tell other big-prize winners? "Welcome to the millionaire's club. Stay humble and spend your money in a disciplined way."