Doncaster Candy Crush expert set to pocket £100,000 from playing game

26-year-old Maria Gallardo Pedrosa, who spends hours every day playing the addictive app, started playing the colourful tile-matching game almost a decade ago.

She told The Sun: "I’ve been playing for about eight years. I started playing because every one of my friends was playing it. It was something we did together.

"We competed against each other, sharing what levels we were getting to."

A technical design engineer by day, Maria has a much more exciting life before and after work when she cracks out her favourite de-stress device, Candy Crush.

She added: "I’ve just kept playing over the years because it’s a fun way to de-stress and take a break from busy days - whether it was a break from studying at university or something to do on my way to and from work."

Now she could be in line to win up to £100,000 after entering the global tournament Candy Crush Saga All Stars.

She had to earn as many All Star Candies as she could to reach the top of the leader boards and move through the tournament stages.

Candies are earned by completing levels.

Players must match sets of three identical coloured tiles to win points and advance to the next stage.

The game is never ending, with new levels constantly added to keep its best players entertained.

For the latest tournament, the top ten players are invited to a final, held in London on May 24 and 25.

As well as a total prize pot of £205,450, winners will be gifted three diamond-encrusted rings in gold, silver or rose gold.

Maria, who says she's "keeping everything crossed" for victory, wants to spend her prize money on a new house and a shopping spree.

She added: "Winning the All-Stars tournament and getting a big cash prize would be amazing and life changing.

"The game always seems to come up with a new challenge for players to overcome, my least favourite being the chocolate spawner.

"But getting past a tough level is all part of what makes the game so fun - and I love the boost that comes with passing a tricky level."

The spawner is a machine than creates chocolates which swallows any candy in its vicinity, setting the player back from building points.

Maria revealed there's "definitely a level of competitiveness" among players, but she tries to stay supportive.

She added: "I’m always happy to send hearts to a fellow player in need."

When a player sends a heart to another player it keeps them in the game for longer.

Some Candy Crush addicts have previously revealed that they played the game for 12 hours a day and had to hide phones from their wife to get their regular fix of the app.

And one player spent £2,000 on Candy Crush in one day to buy gold bars that levelled them up.