UAE: Expat becomes millionaire in first attempt at Mahzooz draw, reveals how she chose numbers

"I don’t know if it [was beginner's luck] or my intuition which made me a millionaire," said Mireille, a French Lebanese expat who participated in the Mahzooz raffles for the first time and became the draw's 46th millionaire.

The 55-year-old sales manager has been living in the UAE for two decades. She was sitting on a couch in her office when she learned of her win.

“I did not get to watch the live show. I received the call but did not believe it. I thought it was a prank call that was going on all night," said Mireille.

The lucky winner is turning 56 in just a week’s time, and considers the victory an "early birthday present."

Mirielle revealed that she was inspired to participate when she saw the previous episode's winner radiating a sense of tranquillity and contentment. “I was watching the previous episode of Mahzooz, and the lady who won gave me a sense of peace. I took the leap of faith and surprisingly became a millionaire,” said Mireille, adding that she did not anticipate winning such a huge amount on her first try.

She also mentioned that she picked her numbers in a unique manner. “Instead of following a specific strategy or relying on analysis, I closed my eyes and selected numbers randomly by tapping the screen. This decision was life-changing for me,” said Mireille.

• UAE: First Emirati woman wins Dh1 million in latest Mahzooz draw