Lottery-winning couple chooses between lump sum or cash instalments for life
A Canadian couple celebrating a milestone anniversary received the best gift ever: a life-changing lottery win.
Stephanie and Shawn Strickland live in Burgeo, Newfoundland and Labrador. This year is a big one for them, as they’re celebrating their 20th anniversary, but little did they know that the year would be even more special.
Recalling the moment they learned about their win, the couple said they had just settled in for a regular evening at home. Shawn decided to wash the dishes while Stephanie sat down to play a $4 Set for Life Scratch’N Win lottery ticket she had purchased earlier that day.
Shawn had barely started washing when Stephanie saw something that caught her eye.
“I saw two Set for Life symbols. I scratched a bit more and saw more words and thought, ‘Is this what I actually see?'” recalled Stephanie.
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Unsure if she was imagining things, she asked her husband to take a closer look.
“He looked at it, flipped it over, went back to the other side, and back again,” she said. “He turned around and said, ‘You won Set for Life!’ and I said, ‘I did, didn’t I?’ and we just started screeching.”
Atlantic Lottery’s Set for Life offers two options for the top prize: winners can receive $1,000 a week for 25 years or a lump sum payment of $675,000. The couple opted to receive the lump sum payment.
With $675,000 in their bank account, the couple said they plan to celebrate their anniversary. They’ll also use their winnings to travel, pay off their vehicles, and share the money with their loved ones. They said they spent a year in Alberta early in their relationship, where Shawn’s brother lives. Now, they’re looking forward to visiting once again.
Strickland purchased the winning Set for Life ticket at Foodland in Burgeo, Newfoundland and Labrador. The seller will receive a one percent seller’s prize.
All forms of gambling, including the lottery, involve risk and outcomes are based on chance. Individuals are strongly advised to gamble responsibly. If you are experiencing any signs of gambling-related issues, check out these resources.