A lucky – and extremely patient – Michigan Lottery player waited a year to claim a $328,843 Fantasy 5 jackpot, saying:  “I was in no hurry.”

The 58-year-old Lincoln Park man, who chose to remain anonymous, said he knew he had won the big prize the day after the Oct. 12, 2014 drawing.  He told no one that his ticket had matched the numbers drawn, 02-19-30-37-38, and put it in a safe deposit box.  He bought the winning ticket at the Harrison Liquor and Wine Market, located at 735 Harrison Boulevard in Lincoln Park.

Fantasy 5 tickets are valid for one year from the drawing date and the winning ticket would have expired at 4:45 p.m. on Monday. If the ticket had expired, the prize money would have gone to the state School Aid Fund.

The winner came to Lottery headquarters on Friday to claim the prize and shrugged off questions about why he waited so long, saying only: “I was in no hurry.”

The winner plans to buy a new pickup and make some home repairs, but didn’t have any other immediate plans for his delayed windfall.

In August, a $1 million Mega Millions prize, won with a ticket bought in Grand Rapids, was unclaimed and went to the School Aid Fund.

Each Fantasy 5 play is only $1. For an additional $1 per play, EZmatch may be added to a Fantasy 5 ticket, giving players a chance to win up to $500 instantly. Fantasy 5 players select five numbers from one to 39. Players who match all five Fantasy 5 numbers drawn win a jackpot that starts at $100,000. Fantasy 5 drawings are held seven days a week at 7:29 p.m. Tonight’s Fantasy 5 jackpot is $110,000.