Lottery winner chooses $1,000 a month over $1 million

Is it ever a good idea to choose the annuity option over the lump sum? One recent lottery winner is getting flamed for the more conservative option.

A Canadian lottery winner is going viral for picking the option to recieve $1,000 per week for life, rather than a lump sum of $1 million. 

Maria Caroli of Laval won the Quebec lottery top prize in December, after receiving the ticket as a gift. 

Rather than take the seven-figure first prize, she opted for the $1,000 a week for life option. According to a press release, she "opted for the lifetime annuity, which will enable her to maintain her current lifestyle while enjoying financial peace of mind".

There were no tax benefits to taking the annuity, as Canadian lottery wins are seen as windfalls (Unexpected gains), not income. 

Was it a terrible idea?

The win has gone viral online because it was seemingly a bad idea most of the time. 

If she invested the money in a savings account, she would get a weekly yield figure somewhat close to the amount she will now get per week from the lottery. Crucially, however, she would have full access to the money. 

According to Grok, she is 58-years-old, meaning she would have to live for another 19 years before she pulled in more than the million being offered as a lump sum.

The replies to this X post saw an almost unanimous agreement that it was an error in judgment:

Quebec lottery winner chooses $1,000 per week for life over $1 million lump sum pic.twitter.com/aM3IqLjbgw

— 6ixBuzzTV (@6ixbuzztv) January 22, 2026

There is one genuine reason to take the lump sum when you are middled aged or older, and that is if you do not trust yourself with the money. Lottery winners have a high ratio of going bankrupt, so in that regard, this may actually be a wise choice.