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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Maya Oppenheim

Woman wins lottery after buying first ever ticket to mark 18th birthday

A Canadian teenager has hit the jackpot after buying her first ever lottery ticket to celebrate her 18th birthday.

Charlie Lagarde, who is from Quebec, purchased the scratch ticket alongside a bottle of champagne to honour turning of age on 14 March.

The winner was offered the choice of a $1m (£550,000) lump sum or $1,000 (£550) a week for the rest of her entire life.

After going to a financial advisor Ms Lagarde decided to go for the latter option of a weekly allowance because it is not taxed.

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

"That was her first lottery ticket ever and she fell upon a winning ticket."

Ms Lagarde has said she is keen to use the money to travel and to invest in her education.

"I want to study photography. One of my dreams would be to work for National Geographic," she told Loto Quebec.

She was joined by family and friends as she retrieved her prize at Loto-Quebec’s head office in Montreal.

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