An Indian woman who left Dubai because the cost of living was too high has won GBP 225,000 playing the Abu Dhabi lottery.

Varsha Gunda, 34, moved back home to India with her children leaving her husband in Dubai but started playing the Abu Dhabi lottery.

She has now won a grand prize of AED 1 million (GBP 225,000) in the Big Ticket Abu Dhabi weekly draw after she bought a ticket online.

Her husband, IT engineer Narendra Gunda, 38, told local media: “I have been buying the Big Ticket for the last three years.

“On 12th November, my wife said she had an intuition that if she bought it from her account, she might win. Her hunch was right.”

The happy couple lived together in Dubai until 2018, but Varsha, daughter Likhitha, 10, and son Shamik, 7, moved back to India because of the high cost of living.

Narendra said: “I hope my family can join me in the UAE now.”

He explained that his wife had missed the telephone call from the Lottery officials because her phone was not working, but he then saw the results of the draw and hurried to tell his wife the good news.

Narendra said: “Later on Friday, when I saw my wife’s name on the Big Ticket’s Instagram page, I was totally surprised.

“It was late at night in India but I could not wait to break the good news to my wife.”

His wife at first thought it was a prank, he said.

The couple have not revealed how they plan to spend the prize money but Narendra told local media they want to invest in their children’s futures.

He said: “That is the priority. We will soon have a family reunion in Dubai to celebrate the win.”