Filipino expat Marvin Jacob Ida won Dh100,000 on his first UAE Lottery attempt and used the prize to cover his hospitalized mother’s medical bills.
A Filipino expat’s first attempt at the UAE Lottery has turned into a life-changing moment, bringing hope just when his family needed it most.
Marvin Jacob Ida, who has lived in the UAE for 12 years, won Dh100,000 in the Lucky Day category of the UAE Lottery on his very first try. The timing could not have been more significant. Shortly after his win, his sister sent him a message that changed everything.
His mother had been hospitalized and needed urgent medical care.
“I’ve been in the UAE for 12 years. It feels really amazing. It’s my first time winning this amount of money. It’s my first time to try the UAE Lottery also,” Marvin said at the UAE Lottery studio, according to Gulf News.
The news of his mother’s hospitalization came as a shock. He immediately called his family to find out more about her condition and what she needed.
“I didn’t expect that something is going to happen to my mom. I called them and found out that my mom is really confined. She told me about the bills and the medicine. So, I asked them how much the total amount would be,” Marvin recalled in the interview.
The Dh100,000 prize came at exactly the right moment to help cover his mother’s medical expenses, turning what could have been a financial crisis into a manageable situation.
After learning about the medical bills his family was facing, Marvin knew his lottery win was meant to help. He sent his mother a simple but heartfelt message: “Get well soon. I hope to see you soon.”
For someone who has been working in the UAE for over a decade, the win represents more than just money. It’s a chance to give back to his mother and ease the burden on his family during a difficult time.
Marvin expressed his gratitude to the UAE Lottery for what he called “this once-in-a-lifetime moment.” The prize has given him the financial freedom to support his mother’s recovery without the stress of mounting hospital bills.
The UAE Lottery has been creating winners across different prize categories since its launch. Marvin’s Dh100,000 win in the Lucky Day category is awarded to participants who match specific combinations of numbers.
His win is part of a growing list of Filipino expats who have struck lucky with the UAE Lottery. Earlier winners include Joel Castro Arac, who won Dh100,000 and planned to help his aging parents, and Beauregard Lim, who won Dh1 million and said the stress he had been carrying for years was finally gone.
The lottery operates under the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority and is run by The Game LLC, part of Abu Dhabi’s Momentum Group. It’s the first and only federally licensed lottery in the UAE, open to residents aged 18 and above.
For Marvin, the next steps are clear. The money will go toward ensuring his mother gets the medical care she needs and can recover in comfort.
His story resonates with many expats in the UAE who work far from home, sending money back to support their families. The distance makes moments like these even more significant. Knowing his mother is being taken care of brings peace of mind that money alone cannot buy.
The UAE Lottery continues to offer residents a chance at changing their lives, with prizes ranging from scratch card wins to the grand Dh100 million jackpot that has yet to be claimed.
For Marvin Jacob Ida, his Dh100,000 win was never about luxury or indulgence. It was about being there for his mother when she needed him most, even from thousands of miles away.
