Woman's Late-Night Ticket Check Unlocks UAE Lottery's First Female Millionaire Prize

Zenn Ariane Garceles checked her UAE Lottery account late one night in her Dubai home while her family slept, expecting only to verify some numbers she had played. Instead, a congratulatory message appeared on her screen. The 38-year-old Filipina expat had just become The UAE Lottery’s first female millionaire, holding the winning ticket for the AED 5 million Second Prize in the Lucky Day Draw.

The moment carried weight beyond the sum itself. Garceles had been a participant since the lottery’s launch, regularly entering Lucky Day Draws and occasionally purchasing Scratch Cards. Her winning ticket came from an Easy Pick, a set of randomly generated numbers she selected without the personal significance of her earlier strategy, which had relied on family birthdays and anniversaries. That shift in approach, it turned out, had changed everything.

Her journey to that late-night discovery began 13 years earlier when she left the Philippines to work in the UAE. A former dental assistant, she built a career and established a family in Dubai, transforming the emirate from a destination into a permanent home. “My life in the UAE has been amazing. I met my husband here, we built our family here, and this is where I feel at home,” she reflected. “Dubai is home for us, and we plan to stay.”

The first person to learn of her win was her husband, whom she woke immediately to share the news. An emotional late-night call to her father in the Philippines followed. He told her he had always known she would win one day.

Her plans for the AED 5 million prize center on family security and shared experiences rather than personal luxury. A trip to Disneyland ranks at the top of the family’s immediate priorities, a dream her daughter has long held. Beyond that, Garceles envisions purchasing a family home in Dubai, funding her children’s education, exploring new business opportunities, buying her husband a vehicle, and bringing her father to the UAE for an extended stay.

When pressed about personal indulgences, she acknowledged that her instinct has always been to direct resources toward her family. “I couldn’t immediately think of something I wanted just for me because I’m happy knowing that I can share it with my family. Being with them and seeing their smiles makes me happy,” she said. She did allow for modest personal treats: good meals, some shopping, and a quality massage, framed as rewards after years of focused work.

Despite the substantial windfall, Garceles has maintained a disciplined perspective on money and advocates the same approach to others. “Keep working towards the things that are important to you and always be responsible with your money,” she advised. “If you choose to participate in The UAE Lottery, remember to play responsibly. When you spend, be wise, do not go beyond your limit. And if you do win one day, manage your prize carefully and think through how you want to use it.”

The UAE Lottery operates under full regulation by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), within a framework designed to ensure safe, transparent, and responsible gaming for all participants. The Lucky Day Draw takes place every Wednesday and Saturday, offering a AED 30 million Grand Prize alongside the AED 5 million Second Prize that Garceles won, with additional prize tiers across the structure. Whether her story draws more first-time participants to the Easy Pick option remains to be seen, but tickets for upcoming draws are available through www.theuaelottery.ae.