A 20-year-old woman has sparked a huge debate online after turning down a $1 million lottery payout in favour of receiving $1,000 every week for the rest of her life.

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Brenda Aubin-Vega, from Quebec, Canada, became a millionaire in the summer of 2025, but after her decision about how to collect her winnings was revealed, it left plenty of people scratching their heads.

Rather than accepting the entire $1 million upfront, Brenda opted for a guaranteed weekly income of $1,000 for life.

And while some people have praised the young winner for securing her financial future, others believe she has made an expensive mistake.

The decision attracted renewed attention after a post on Reddit’s r/interesting community asked users whether Brenda had made the right call.

At first glance, receiving $1,000 every week for life certainly sounds appealing.

That’s $52,000 a year, providing Brenda with a regular income without needing to rely on a job to receive it.

Over 20 years, those payments would total $1.04 million, meaning she would have received more than the original lump sum before turning 41. After 30 years, the total would reach $1.56 million, while 50 years of payments would amount to $2.6 million.

However, there’s an important catch.

The $1,000 weekly payments remain the same, meaning their purchasing power could gradually decrease as the cost of living rises.

Someone receiving $1,000 today might be able to afford considerably more than someone receiving that same amount several decades into the future.

There’s also the question of what Brenda could have done with the money if she’d accepted the lump sum instead.

By taking $1 million immediately, she would have had the opportunity to invest it, potentially generating returns while retaining access to the original amount.

One Reddit user, TheGipper80, argued: “If you take the million and invest it conservatively, your returns are still likely to exceed the weekly payout on an annual basis and you’ll keep access to the principal.

“Not to mention that there’s no guarantee the lottery money will be solvent a month from now let alone for the rest of your life.”

That argument reflects one of the main reasons many lottery winners prefer receiving their money immediately.

According to USA Today, a 2011 study examining Powerball winners between 2003 and 2009 found that more than 93% chose the lump-sum option.

And while the lump sum might offer greater investment opportunities, it also comes with the responsibility of managing a substantial amount of money at just 20 years old.

Some social media users suggested the guaranteed weekly payments could help protect Brenda from the risks associated with suddenly becoming wealthy.

One Reddit commenter, Unable6417, summed up the choice as: “Being robbed or pressured into giving her money to others, or guaranteed income”

Another user, Original_Mulberry652, appeared to support the decision for a rather different reason, adding: “That’s what I would do. I’m smart enough to know how stupid I am.”

The discussion also caught the attention of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, according to one of the articles shared about Brenda’s decision.

Financial expert Dan White, founder and CEO of Daniel A. White & Associates, explained why so many lottery winners prefer to take their money upfront.

“The reason most take the lump sum is because if you take the annuity and get hit by a bus, they feel like it’s over,” he said.

USA Today also noted that certain lottery annuities allow remaining payments to pass to heirs, although the specific terms of Brenda’s lifetime payout were not detailed. It is worth noting that – as a Canadian – Brenda also would not have paid tax on her winnings.

Ultimately, whether Brenda made the right decision depends on what she values most.

Taking the $1 million would have given her immediate control over a life-changing amount of money, along with the potential benefits and risks of investing it.

Choosing $1,000 a week instead means she has a predictable income for life, without having to manage the entire jackpot at once.

The big question now is – What would you do?

Featured image credit: Instagram/Loto-Quebec