Happy Birthday: Lottery win ensures many more

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 $4 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 $1 million lump sum (U.S. $773,800) or $1,000 per week (U.S. $773.80) 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 traveling - 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 stroke of luck.”