Abu Dhabi, Sep 4 (IANS): An Indian expat based in Sharjah, who won 10 million dirhams in the Big Ticket Abu Dhabi raffle draw, thought it was a prank call when the organisers phoned him to inform him about it, a media report said on Friday.

It Manager Gurpreet Singh, who won the raffle on Thursday, purchased the ticket on August 12, the Khaleej Times reported.

The 35-year-old from Punjab has been in the United Arab Emirates for the past 32 years and hopes to finally settle down in his "second home".

"I was busy at work. I was surprised. You can imagine if someone calls in the afternoon and says: 'You have won 10 million dirhams'.

"I don't follow the draw live but check the media reports on the winner," the newspaper quoted Singh as saying.

The Indian expat has been participating in the Big Ticket raffle for more than two years but to no avail.

One raffle ticket costs 500 dirhams, but for 1,000 dirhams one can three tickets in a buy-two-get-one-free offer.

Tickets can be bought from the official website www.bigticket.ae or through Big Ticket stores at the Abu Dhabi International Airport arrivals hall counter and Al Ain International Airport.