The UAE's largest cash prize can now be played for across the world using cryptocurrency.
Emirates Draw has joined forces DIFC-based YottaChain International Holding Limited to allow people to enter the lucrative raffle, which has a current grand prize of Dh100 million.
The draw has already given out Dh20 million to lucky winners since its launch last year.
Tech company YottaChain specialises in secure data storage solutions and will enable payments for the draw using Tether (USDT) — one of the first cryptocurrencies to peg its market value to a fiat currency, a government-issued tender not backed by commodities such as gold.
Payments will be made via a decentralised application (dApp), with YottaChain planning to open the draw to other cryptocurrencies in the future.
“Our partnership is a perfect example of two leading technology companies coming together to offer real-life products and services to worldwide crypto communities,” said Mohammad Behroozian Alawadhi, managing partner at Emirates Draw.
“In the fast-moving technology and entertainment sector the time was right to broaden our network to the cryptocurrency world, which strengthens our combined commitment towards expanding access to Emirates Draw and our ongoing conservation programmes.”
Draws are held every Sunday and live-streamed on YouTube and Facebook.
Entrants take part by purchasing a Dh50 pencil that will support in planting coral polyps. After registering online at www.emiratesdraw.com, participants can select their preferred seven-digit number or have the system choose their number randomly
The grand prize remains at Dh100 million until a single person or a group of people match all seven numbers from right to left, at which point it resets to Dh77 million.
The latest batch of 410 winners were announced on, Sunday March 20 and received a total of Dh1,710,870 in prize money during the draw’s live stream announcement.
One lucky winner matched six out of seven digits and won Dh777,777, while two others matched five out of seven and each won Dh77,777.
In total, 24 participants matched four out of seven digits, winning Dh7,777 each, while 25 participants matched three out of seven digits to scoop Dh777.
By bringing YottaChain on board to utilise crypto payments, organisers of Emirates Draw hope more people around the world will be encouraged to take part.
Crypto users who wish to enter need to access the dAPP section in their crypto wallets, insert the www.drawdao.com link, and then select BSC (Binance Smart Chain) to process through to the Emirates Draw website.
A percentage of entry fees contribute towards environment conservation projects in the UAE.
“We take great pride in the co-operation between YottaChain and Emirates Draw which will help expand the application ecology of YottaChain and realise the diversification of its applications,” said Hans Yuewen, chairman of YottaChain International Holding.
UAE jackpot winners - in pictures
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UAE residents who struck luck with Abu Dhabi's Big Ticket draw attended a gala dinner on Tuesday. Organisers of the draw celebrated the winners' good luck at the Alexandra Dhow Cruise in Dubai Marina. All photos by Leslie Pableo / The National -
The ticket for the grand prize costs Dh500 -
Shahed Ahmed Moulvifaiz, a Bangladeshi car garage owner in Al Ain, won Dh10 million less than a week ago. He wants to bring his family to the UAE, expand his business and spend on his youngest son's education -
Richard Isaac and Bouchra Yamani, the two presenters who pick out the raffle tickets and call the winners, interacted with the winners. Some of attendees had won jackpots of between Dh1 million to Dh15 million, while others won Dh90,000 -
'The National' spoke to winners about how they have spent their grand prize. Shivamurthy Gali Krishnappa won Dh12 million last month. He said he wants to save for his children's future. For now, he is still working as a mechanical engineer for a stainless steel production company -
Jayaprakash Mariyan Philip had won the Dh1 million prize with nine other people. The funds were split equally, leaving him with Dh100,000. He said he has paid off part of his bank loans -
Zaheenn Kausar was visiting her husband in Abu Dhabi from Pakistan, when he bought a ticket under her name. She proved lucky for her family after winning Dh90,000. She wants to pay for her daughter's university tuition and buy a car for herself -
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, more than 5,000 people would gather during a live event in Abu Dhabi to watch the draw take place. Since 2020, the draw streams live on social media channels, bringing in even larger crowds -
Many people buy multiple tickets together and then split the prize equally. There are also those who win after buying a ticket alone, allowing them to keep the entire jackpot -
The Abu Dhabi Big Draw has been changing lives since 1992
