TORONTO (Reuters) - A Canadian who waited nearly a year to claim a C$30 million ($23 million) lottery prize because he didn't want to "do anything rash" was being described as the most patient man in the country on Friday.
Raymond Sobeski won the biggest single jackpot in Canadian history last April but only stepped forward to claim his prize a mere 12 days before the ticket's expiry date.
"It was the first time that a winner's waited this long," said Kathy Pittman, a spokeswoman for the Ontario Gaming and Lottery Corp. "We thought it must be lost because how can someone sit on it for this long?
"After meeting him, it's perfectly clear to me. He is a gentleman who takes his time, care and caution to make any decision. He's a very patient, laid-back man."
The 47-year-old self-employed computer repairman tucked the winning ticket away in a safety deposit box -- not even telling his family -- and got to work putting his affairs in order.
"I didn't want to do anything rash," Sobeski told reporters on Thursday when he claimed his prize. "I thought it was in my best interest to keep it to myself until I had everything all sorted out."
Sobeski, who called himself "happily unemployed now," said he had known since shortly after the April 11, 2003, draw but wanted to get professional and financial advice first.
His tax-free windfall was front page news in Canada on Friday and a hot topic on radio talk shows where callers wondered how he could keep the secret for so long.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp had taken out full-page advertisements in the Brantford area in southwestern Ontario, where they knew the winning ticket had been bought, and urged the holder to come forward.
While smaller winnings have expired before, a Lotto Super 7 jackpot has never gone unclaimed. The largest unclaimed lottery win was a C$4.69 million Lotto 649 Ontario jackpot in 1989.
"With our experience, we just figured this person must know. It's just so odd for a C$30 million jackpot, for someone to have thrown out their ticket," Pittman said. "Part of us was sitting back and thinking, it's someone that's waiting."
Sobeski, who grew up on a farm, plans to travel and share the money with his parents and siblings. He said he might also buy a farm.
"He hopped on a plane yesterday evening. Golfing somewhere by today, I'm sure," Pittman said.
($1=$1.31 Canadian)
Raymond Sobeski won the biggest single jackpot in Canadian history last April but only stepped forward to claim his prize a mere 12 days before the ticket's expiry date.
"It was the first time that a winner's waited this long," said Kathy Pittman, a spokeswoman for the Ontario Gaming and Lottery Corp. "We thought it must be lost because how can someone sit on it for this long?
"After meeting him, it's perfectly clear to me. He is a gentleman who takes his time, care and caution to make any decision. He's a very patient, laid-back man."
The 47-year-old self-employed computer repairman tucked the winning ticket away in a safety deposit box -- not even telling his family -- and got to work putting his affairs in order.
"I didn't want to do anything rash," Sobeski told reporters on Thursday when he claimed his prize. "I thought it was in my best interest to keep it to myself until I had everything all sorted out."
Sobeski, who called himself "happily unemployed now," said he had known since shortly after the April 11, 2003, draw but wanted to get professional and financial advice first.
His tax-free windfall was front page news in Canada on Friday and a hot topic on radio talk shows where callers wondered how he could keep the secret for so long.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp had taken out full-page advertisements in the Brantford area in southwestern Ontario, where they knew the winning ticket had been bought, and urged the holder to come forward.
While smaller winnings have expired before, a Lotto Super 7 jackpot has never gone unclaimed. The largest unclaimed lottery win was a C$4.69 million Lotto 649 Ontario jackpot in 1989.
"With our experience, we just figured this person must know. It's just so odd for a C$30 million jackpot, for someone to have thrown out their ticket," Pittman said. "Part of us was sitting back and thinking, it's someone that's waiting."
Sobeski, who grew up on a farm, plans to travel and share the money with his parents and siblings. He said he might also buy a farm.
"He hopped on a plane yesterday evening. Golfing somewhere by today, I'm sure," Pittman said.
($1=$1.31 Canadian)
