The South African expat said that a routine school morning turned emotional after his wife checked an email confirming he had won the UAE Lottery
Anormal school morning at a home in Dubai suddenly turned into one of shock after a woman saw her husband’s email and realised he had just become a millionaire.
Branden Tekram, a 39-year-old South African expat, casually asked his wife to take a look at an email while she was getting their son ready for school. The couple did not expect what came next. “She was stunned and asked, ‘Is this real? Did we win this much?’” Branden told Khaleej Times.
The email confirmed that he had won Dh5 million in the UAE Lottery Lucky Day draw, making him the second winner of the prize in just two months, and the first person to claim it in a Wednesday draw after the game recently moved to a twice-a-week format. “We just sat there in disbelief,” he said. “Once it sank in, we shared a heartfelt hug.”
Despite the life-changing moment, Branden said the family tried to keep the morning as normal as possible. “I even went straight to work after that,” he said.
Originally from South Africa, Branden moved to Dubai in September 2023 after being relocated by the telecommunications company he has worked with for the last 14 years. He currently works as an IT support manager, coordinating operations across Africa.
His days usually begin with helping his son get ready for school before starting work calls and handling support activities across the continent. “Our routine will remain exactly the same after the win,” he said.
Branden said he had always believed he would eventually win something big. “When The UAE Lottery launched as the first regulated gaming platform in the UAE, I told my wife: ‘They launched this for me,’” he said.
He believes positivity and visualisation played a major role in his journey. “I approached this experience with hope and a positive mindset,” he said. “I dreamt it and believed it was possible.”
Before the win, he often joked with his wife about what life would look like if they became millionaires one day. “I would ask her things like, ‘What would you do if I told you we just won Dh30 million?’” he said. “I kept imagining it and speaking positively about it.”
But now that the money is real, the family said that they want to stay practical and grounded. One of their biggest priorities is supporting a project Branden’s wife has been working on. The couple recently completed the legal phase of a patent application and now hopes to build a prototype and develop the idea further.
“We are approaching everything in stages,” he said adding that the family hopes to move into a villa.
For Branden, however, the biggest impact of the win is what it means for his child’s future. “He has a slight speech delay, and now we can access better support systems and institutions for him,” he said. “Every father wants to make sure his children succeed in life. This gives us more opportunities to support our son.”
Even after becoming a millionaire overnight, Branden said he has no plans to quit his job or suddenly change his lifestyle. “This win simply brings us more comfort and security while we continue moving forward,” he said.
