Dubai Resident Makes History as UAE Lottery's First Female Millionaire with Dh5m Win

Zenn Ariane Garceles has made history as the UAE Lottery's first female millionaire after securing a life-changing Dh5 million ($1.3 million) prize. Selecting her numbers entirely at random, Ms Garceles became only the third person to claim the Dh5 million tier since the draw's inception.

She discovered the incredible news while scrolling through Instagram, where she noticed a post detailing a Dh5 million winner. Prompted to check, she logged into her account and found the official confirmation message, describing the unforgettable moment with sheer excitement.

Thirteen years ago, Ms Garceles left her home in the Philippines to relocate to the UAE, leaving behind her career as a dental assistant. Settling in Dubai, she built a new life, met her husband, and started a family. Reflecting on her journey, she shared that her life in the UAE has been truly amazing.

A regular participant in the Lucky Day Draw since its early days—while occasionally playing Scratch Cards—Ms Garceles wasted no time in sharing the good news by calling her father in the Philippines. Her immediate plans for the winnings include bringing her father to Dubai for a visit, funding her children's education, exploring potential business ventures, and purchasing a car for her husband.

While she expressed a desire to eventually buy a family home in Dubai to cement her future in the city, Ms Garceles emphasized the importance of financial prudence. Stressing that people should be responsible with money, she noted the importance of staying within sensible limits.

The UAE Lottery continues to hand out massive prizes under the regulation of the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority. Previous notable winners include Anilkumar Bolla, an Indian expat and IT professional based in Abu Dhabi who previously bagged a record Dh100 million jackpot, and Tayab Khan, a Nepalese security guard in Abu Dhabi who secured a massive win alongside four friends.