A 42-year-old former secretary from the Philippines, Bernadette Azucena, has struck gold after winning the Dh20 million grand prize at the latest Big Ticket Abu Dhabi draw. A long-time participant since 2017, Azucena plays as part of a 22-member syndicate, and this time, the winning ticket—number 013075—happened to be registered under her name. Currently residing in the Philippines while recovering from hand surgery, Azucena was fast asleep when organizers tried to call her during the live event. It was her husband, still working in the UAE, who eventually broke the life-changing news via video call, leaving her in total disbelief.

The massive prize money will be split among the entire group of 22 friends, with Azucena planning to use her share to pay off her family's home mortgage. Despite the incredible windfall, she has no plans to stop playing, as the group intends to continue their tradition of buying tickets. The October 3 draw also brought good fortune to several other participants, with five Indian expatriates claiming consolation prizes totaling Dh1.95 million. As Big Ticket continues its season, participants can look forward to upcoming opportunities, including weekly gold bar giveaways, a Range Rover Velar draw, and the highly anticipated November Big Spin.