Canadian 18yo scores lotto win, claims $1000 a week for life

A Canadian teenager reckons she's set for life after winning the lottery and securing CA$1000 (NZ$1075) a week for the rest of her life.

Charlie Lagarde, from Quebec, bought a CA$4 (NZ$4.30) scratchie on her 18th birthday, according to BBC News.

It ended up being a winner, and she was faced with an issue most young people dream of: whether to take the lump sum of CA$1 million (NZ$1.075 million), or take the weekly payments of CA$1000.

If she lives to 83, the average life expectancy in Canada, it means she'll have been paid up to CA$4 million (NZ$4.3 million).

"It's without taxes, so it's equivalent to a salary of more than $100,000 a year - it's a great start in life for that young lady," a Loto-Quebec told the Canadian Press.

Ms Lagarde will be 37 by the time she's gathered CA$1 million from the payments, and will have received more than CA$4 million if she lives to 83.

But did she make the right decision?

Even if she simply invested each CA$1000 payments, she would have more than $1 million more by the age of 68 than if she invested the lump $1 million sum - totalling CA$24.9 million instead of CA$23.8 million.

Either way, Ms Lagarde said she consulted a financial advisor before making her decision.

After the win, she told the lottery officials she plans to study photography and hopes to one day work for National Geographic.

Newshub. 

Contact Newshub with your story tips:
news@newshub.co.nz