Dubai: Filipina expat wins raffle twice in one night

Dubai - She says she will now be able to bring her daughter over to the UAE from the Philippines.

By Staff Report

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Published: Thu 20 May 2021, 12:05 PM

Last updated: Thu 20 May 2021, 12:06 PM

Dubai resident and Filipina expat Wendy was one of the five lucky winners to take home Dh200,000 each in the 25th weekly live Mahzooz draw. The lucky participants matched five out of six numbers and shared the Dh1 million second prize. However, there was an extra stroke of luck for Wendy as she had a second entry to the draw that matched four out of six numbers and scored her an extra Dh1,000.

“I’ve been participating from the very beginning along with my brother,” said the 41-year-old office manager. “I was driving with my friend during the draw and asked my brother to check the numbers for me. He mentioned I got four out of six. I was shocked and ecstatic to win the 1,000 dirhams.”

Then came the twist.

“As I was celebrating, my friend mentioned that on my other entry, I matched five numbers,” recalled Wendy. “I had to pull the car over to go online and check the results. I started crying and thinking to myself ‘is this really happening, is this really true’.”

For Wendy, calling this turn events life changing is an understatement.

“This money changes everything for me and my family. I can finally bring my daughter here from the Philippines,” said Wendy, who hasn’t seen her 8-year-old daughter in over two years due to Covid-related travel restrictions. “I usually go back once a year but with Covid-19 restrictions, I haven’t been able to go back the past two years.”

In addition to reuniting with her daughter, Wendy has earmarked this money to help her family.

“I will buy a house in the Philippines for my family, and I will give some money to my mom,” said Wendy, who lives with her mother and brother.

Wendy, her family, and their enduring positivity are proof that good things happen.

“We felt very good and positive about the numbers we chose last week. Everyday we’d say around the house ‘don’t worry we’re going to win Mahzooz this week’,” said Wendy. “And we did.”