appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

The Washington Post

Charlie Lagarde was celebrating her ascent into adulthood.
On her 18th birthday earlier this month, the Canadian teenager bought a bottle of sparkling wine and a C$4 (US$3.08) scratch lottery ticket at a nearby convenience store in Quebec – and, just like that, her future was off to a very nice start.
Loto-Québec officials said in a statement that after buying her first lottery ticket, Lagarde won the grand prize March 14 in the Gagnant à vie (Winner for life) game.
Her first major decision as an adult? The 18-year-old had to decide whether she wanted the C$1 million lump sum or C$1,000 per week for the rest of her life.
Lagarde waited a couple weeks to make up her mind, consulting a financial adviser and considering her options. Then she decided that, based on her age, she would accept the lifetime annuity, according to local news reports.
The teen said she intends to invest in her education as well as do some travelling – one of her passions.
“I want to study photography. One of my dreams would be to work for National Geographic,” she said, according to the statement from lottery officials.
Lagarde bought the lottery ticket at a Couche-Tard convenience store, but she waited to scratch it until she got back to her home in Montérégie, not far from Montreal, according to the Canadian Press news agency.
Lottery officials said in the statement earlier this week that she immediately told her family that she had won, and “everyone was euphoric at this stoke of luck.”
Prizes in Canadian dollars for the Gagnant à vie game range from C$4 to the grand prize – the C$1 million one-time payout or the C$1,000 weekly lifetime annuity. Although the odds of winning anything are about 1 in 2.5, the chances of taking home the top prize are only about 1 in 6 million, according to the lottery.
The Canadian Press reported that Lagarde, accompanied by family members and friends, made her way Monday to the Loto-Quebec headquarters in Montreal. There, she was presented with the customary giant check.
Patrice Lavoie, a spokesperson for the lottery corporation, called it a “great start in life” for a “kind, down-to-earth and well-advised young lady.”
“She wants to pursue her education, study photography and dreams about working for National Geographic,” he said in a statement Wednesday. “She was a real breath of fresh air when she came to our office to claim her prize, with friends and family. All of us at Loto-Quebec are really happy for her.”


RFK Jnr posts video of him grabbing 2 snakes, as his wife asks ‘why?’

Every dog has its day: stray puppy steals the show at Chinese university sports event

UK radio station mistakenly reports death of King Charles

Japan’s late-night cafes open doors to soothe mothers of crying babies

Offbeat

Canadian Charlie Lagarde celebrated turning 18 by buying her first lottery ticket. Now she’s set for life

Charlie Lagarde at her symbolic cheque presentation in Montreal on Monday. Photo: Loto-Quebec

Charlie Lagarde (centre) at her symbolic cheque presentation in Montreal on Monday. Photo: Loto-Quebec

A computer glitch on Christmas could give mistaken winners in the South Carolina lottery almost $20 million

A computer glitched in a lottery game in South Carolina on Christmas Day for two hours and many noticed and bought multiple US$500 winning tickets

How the Holiday Cash Add-A-Play game is supposed to work. The ticket on the left is a US$52 winner. The one on the right is a loser. Photo: South Carolina Education Lottery

Bank teller steals cash to play lottery, replaces it with hell money

A bank clerk replaced cash he stole with “spirit money”, at front. Photo: SCMP Pictures

=== NO ARCHIVE IMAGE === ATN. BANKCLERK04. SCMP Pictures (UNDATED HANDOUT)

Canadian couple recover C$50 million lottery ticket lost at church

The Nosirus won C$50 million.

Chinese man who divorced wife after winning lottery ordered to hand over part of the cash