Security guard Tayab Khan, 26, saw his life change on May 27 when a ticket his group bought in The UAE Lottery’s Lucky Day draw matched the winning numbers, turning a Dh30 million jackpot into five equal shares.
The story was reported on June 9, 2026, highlighting how a modest weekly habit turned into a life‑changing windfall.
Friends pool tickets and chase the dream
In early 2024, while scrolling Facebook, Khan spotted The UAE Lottery and urged his four friends to join him. The five‑person group, all working in the UAE, shared a common goal of building better lives for themselves and their families, and they celebrated small wins together along the way.
They began pooling money each week, rotating who chose the numbers; sometimes they used family‑related dates, other times they picked numbers at random. Small wins came along the way – matching one, then two, then three numbers – but none were life‑changing. Still, the occasional prize gave them confidence, and Khan says, “We kept participating and kept believing. There were times when it felt like it wasn't going to happen, but we never lost hope, and I selected the winning ticket.”
Their regular gatherings reinforced a sense of camaraderie and hope.
Winning night and the shock of Dh30 million
When the Lucky Day results were announced, Khan wasn’t watching the draw; the news arrived as an email. He had received similar emails before for small prizes, so he didn’t think much of it at first. Opening the message, he saw “Dh30 million” in bold, and felt his hands and legs shake. “It felt like a dream. I couldn't believe it was real,” he recalled. “It said Dh30 million. My hands were shaking. My legs were shaking. Everything was shaking. It felt like a dream. I couldn't believe it was real.” — Tayab Khan, Security guard
After confirming the win on his account, where the amount appeared in golden letters, Khan logged in again to verify and then contacted the four friends who had shared the ticket. The jackpot was split equally, giving each Dh6 million. “It's not only my life that has changed. It has changed all of our lives,” he told Khaleej Times. — Tayab Khan, Security guard
Frequently asked questions
How much did Tayab Khan win in the UAE Lottery?Tayab Khan won Dh6 million, one of five equal shares of the Dh30 million jackpot.
How many friends did Tayab Khan share the lottery ticket with?Tayab Khan shared the lottery ticket with four friends.
What was Tayab Khan's job when he won the lottery?Tayab Khan was a 26‑year‑old security guard from Abu Dhabi's Ruwais Industrial Area when he won the lottery.
When did Tayab Khan's lottery ticket match the winning numbers?Tayab Khan's lottery ticket matched the winning numbers on May 27.
How did Tayab Khan and his friends choose their lottery numbers?The group of friends took turns choosing numbers, sometimes using family‑related dates and other times picking numbers at random.
