UAE Lottery: How are winners' cash prizes paid?

[Editor's note: An earlier version of this report was published before the second UAE Lottery draw. It has now been updated to include the latest results.]

Cash prizes won during the UAE Lottery draws are automatically reflected in participants' accounts. In an interview with Khaleej Times, a representative of The Game - which operates the UAE Lottery - said it has a prize claim committee that contacts the winning participants after the draw.

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These participants are invited to attend a 'winner's ceremony'. "We then announce the winners on our social media channels and proceed with facilitating the payment process. Depending on the availability of our winners, this entire process can range from a few days to a few weeks," the operator said.

The top two prizes of Dh100 million and Dh1 million went unclaimed in the first two draws carried out this month. Both draws, however, saw 11 winners bag Dh100,000 each. "To win the ... jackpot, participants must match 6-day and 1-month numbers," the representative said.

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According to details on The UAE Lottery website, prizes of up to Dh100,000 are paid directly into participants' accounts. Bigger prizes must be claimed by contacting the lottery operator. "We may require such prizes to be claimed in person."

Participants have 180 days to claim a prize, after which they will "no longer be entitled to it".

The lottery offers a jackpot of Dh100 million, with a second prize of Dh1 million and other amounts ranging between Dh100 and Dh100,000. Additionally, seven 'Lucky Chance IDs' are guaranteed to win Dh100,000 each.

The odds of hitting the jackpot is 1 in 8,835,372. However, people are "drawn to The UAE Lottery because it offers a unique blend of entertainment and responsible play".

"Participants can enjoy the thrill of the game within a regulated environment, supported by tools and resources that promote responsible gaming habits. This combination is what creates a premier lottery experience, appealing to those seeking a moment of inspiration and fun, regardless of the odds."

The representative said excitement during the first UAE Lottery draw peaked after the first 11 winners of Dh100,000 each were announced.

The first draw was conducted with "complete transparency and integrity", with draw officials and independent auditors "overseeing every step of the process".

When asked about the technical issues some customers faced ahead of the first draw, the representative said: "It is not uncommon for technical difficulties to occur on rare occasions due to the high influx of visitors to purchase tickets from our website. We ... encourage participants to consider setting up PayBy wallet, which offers a convenient and unrestricted way to make deposits."

The UAE's first and only regulated lottery operation was officially launched last month. Prior to the establishment of the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority, multiple gaming and lottery companies operated in the country.

Currently, only three operators can conduct lottery and related activities in the UAE. The country's sole lottery licence is held by The Game, LLC, which operates as The UAE Lottery. Additionally, airport lotteries Big Ticket and Dubai Duty Free are authorised to continue operations.

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Sahim Salim

Staff Writer

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sahim@khaleejtimes.com

As Associate Editor, Sahim Salim helps tell the UAE story like no one else does — and leads a team of reporters that asks the questions to get news and headlines that matter.