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

Canadian teenager bought a scratch card and a bottle of champagne

Winner says she is keen to use the money to travel and to invest in her education (Loto-Quebec)

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 celebrate turning 18 on 14 March.

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

After going to a financial adviser 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 news agency.

“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 said.

She was joined by family and friends as she accepted her prize at the Canadian lottery corporation’s head office in Montreal.