UAE Lottery awards first jackpot in “historic milestone”

The United Arab Emirates’ new lottery sees its first grand prize winner.

United Arab Emirates.- The UAE Lottery has produced a grand prize winner for the first time since its launch last December. The operator described the record-breaking Dh100m (US$27.2m) jackpot as a “historic milestone” for the nation’s gaming and entertainment industry.

The winner is the first participant to correctly match all seven numbers in the biweekly Lucky Day draw, beating odds of roughly 1 in 8.8 million. The UAE Lottery confirmed the win over the weekend, announcing on social media: “Tonight’s Lucky Day Draw crowned our very first Dh100m winner. Congratulations to the grand prize winner – and to all our other winners.”

The identity of the winner has not been revealed. The operator said verification and compliance procedures are underway. “As part of our standard operating procedures, we are conducting due diligence to ensure that all internal checks, security protocols, and General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) compliance requirements are fulfilled,” it said in a statement.

The prize, the largest ever lottery payout in the Emirates, must be claimed in person, with validation expected to take place within 30 days. Only UAE residents aged 18 or older are eligible to participate in the lottery.

The creation of the UAE Lottery was part of a broader government effort to regulate commercial gaming. The GCGRA was created as regulator in September 2023 and is also responsible for licensing upcoming projects such as Wynn Al Marjan Island, the country’s first integrated resort, scheduled to open in early 2027.

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The United Arab Emirates’ new lottery sees its first grand prize winner. United Arab Emirates.- The UAE Lottery has produced a grand prize winner for the first time since its…