Montreal woman in her 20s wins $1,000 a week for life

Brenda Aubin-Vega, a Montrealer in her 20s, discovered she had won a $1,000-a-week-for-life jackpot on the “Gagnant à vie” lottery during her break at work.

“I couldn’t believe it. I checked my ticket over and over again,” she said.

Aubin-Vega had the choice between a $1,000-a-week-for-life annuity and a $1-million lump sum. She chose the annuity, which she will receive for the rest of her life.

She plays “Gagnant à vie,” her favourite lottery, a few times a year. During a recent break, she treated herself to two tickets at Dépanneur Jen & Dan, located at 1655 Poirier Street in Montreal.

Seated outside her workplace, she scratched the tickets and revealed three piggy bank symbols in a single game. When she checked the prize associated with those symbols, she realized she had won the top prize.

She then called her father to share the news and asked to take the rest of the day off to let the dust settle. She plans to use her winnings to buy a property.

The retailer will receive a $10,000 commission, equivalent to one per cent of the prize.

So far in 2025, 10 life annuities have been won in Quebec. These include nine top prizes of $1,000 per week for life from “Gagnant à vie” and one prize of $25,000 per year for life from “Grande Vie.”