What began as a routine email check turned into a life-changing moment for 39-year-old South African expat Branden Tekram, who has become the latest AED 5 million winner in The UAE Lottery’s Lucky Day draw—marking the first time the second prize has been won on a Wednesday draw since its recent introduction.
Initially expecting a modest reward, Branden was stunned when reality set in. “It’s still overwhelming and unbelievable. I don’t know how to explain it. I mean, I’m a millionaire in Dubai,” he shared.
A Moment of Disbelief, Shared at Home
The life-changing news was first shared in a quiet family moment. “I went straight to my wife while she was getting our son ready for school and asked her to read the email. We just sat there in disbelief. Once it sank in, we shared a heartfelt hug, and she told me, ‘You really attracted this into your life.’” Branden recalled.
Despite the magnitude of the win, he chose to carry on with his day as usual, heading to work and maintaining normalcy.
A Future-Focused Approach to Winning
Branden and his family are taking a measured and practical approach to their future. “My wife has a project she’s working on, and recently we passed the legal phase of a patent application. Now we can start funding a prototype and develop the idea further,” he shared. “We’d also like to eventually move into a villa, so our son has more space to grow up in, but nothing extravagant. We’re approaching everything in stages and staying grounded.”
Investing in Their Son’s Future
For Branden, the win is deeply connected to his family’s future—especially the opportunities it will create for his son.
“Every father wants to make sure his children succeed in life. This win helps us provide more opportunities for our son,” he said. “He has a slight speech delay, and now we can access better support systems and institutions for him. The UAE education system has been incredible because schools are inclusive and children of all abilities grow together.”
Visualizing the Win
Branden also shared how mindset and positivity played a major role in his journey leading up to the win.
“I dreamt it, and believed it was possible,” he said. “Seeing other people win gave me confidence, and that belief helped me attract it into my life.” He added, “I’d say things like, ‘When we win the lotto, I want to do this drive in a new Toyota RAV4,’ or ask my wife, ‘What would you do if I told you we just won 30 million dirhams?’ I kept imagining it and speaking positively about it.”
This latest win adds to the growing momentum of The UAE Lottery, which has now awarded over AED 300 million in prizes to more than 340,000 winners across its portfolio, including Lucky Day, Scratch Cards, and E-Instants. Lucky Day draws are held every Wednesday and Saturday, where players can win big prizes such as the AED 30 million Grand Prize, the AED 5 million Second Prize, and three guaranteed AED 50,000 Lucky Chance prizes in every draw.
All games are fully regulated by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA).
Tickets for upcoming Lucky Day draws are available at theuaelottery.ae
