After 30 yrs in UAE, Indian expat in Sharjah wins 12.9 cr in UAE Lottery: 'Now I have a chance to apply for Golden Visa'

Kishore Pandurang Rao bought the winning ticket for AED 50 (around ₹1,300) on the UAE Lottery platform. He used the Easy Pick option, which automatically selected the numbers for him. Matching all six numbers in the ‘days’ section earned him the AED 5 million prize.

An Indian expatriate who has spent over 30 years in the UAE has won AED 5 million (approximately ₹12.9 crore) in the UAE Lottery.

Kishore Pandurang Rao, who moved to the UAE in 1993, secured the second prize in the Lucky Day draw conducted on 3 October, according to a report by Gulf News. The win came just five days before his 60th birthday.

Rao bought the winning ticket for AED 50 (around ₹1,300) on the UAE Lottery platform. He used the Easy Pick option, which automatically selected the numbers for him. Matching all six numbers in the “Days” section earned him the AED 5 million prize.

The Sharjah resident initially found it difficult to believe that he had won the lottery, even after spotting his name in news reports. He subsequently logged into his account to verify the result.

“I saw my name in the news, but I couldn’t believe it was me. Then I checked my account and realised it was true!” he said earlier, as quoted by Gulf News.

Expat plans to spend more time with family, travel with wife

Rao chose to keep the news of his unexpected windfall to himself at first rather than immediately informing his family. He eventually told his wife, who was thrilled by the surprise. The couple decided to share the news with only a handful of people while taking time to come to terms with their win.

Asked whom he most wanted to share the moment with, Rao named his wife, highlighting the importance of their relationship through life's challenges and successes.

“Together, we share our ups and downs. Now this opportunity has come, so I have to share it with her, and my children,” he said.

One of his main priorities is to bring his family together in the UAE and spend more quality time with them. He also wants to explore different countries alongside his wife, who enjoys travelling as much as he does.

“My goal is that I have to travel around the world,” he said, adding, “I have to see those places with my wife, because she is fond of traveling as well.”

Lottery winner urges players to set spending limits

Despite his plans for the future, Rao said he was taking time to decide how to use his winnings and make choices that would benefit his family in the long run.

As he approaches his 60th birthday and celebrates his lottery success, he also urged people who participate in lottery games to remain mindful of their spending and establish clear financial boundaries.

“Everyone should know their own limits. They should set a limit on how much they spend,” he said.

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