Disbelief and Joy

When Marie won, she was overjoyed, and she knew that her life was about to change drastically. She had the winning ticket in her hand, but the payment does not happen instantly. The lottery ticket has to be verified by the state, a process that may take some time.

The winner also needs to decide if they want the cash in a lump sum or get the funds in installments. Marie decided to take the one-time payout, which after taxes and other deductions, amounted to $88 million. Some financial authorities believe it’s better to take lotto winnings in installments.