Somebody has bought a winning bingo ticket and stands to collect a third share in the total prize money of $6 million. The trouble is the person has not come forwards and nobody knows who it is! The ticket was purchased in Guam.

Guam is a tiny island in the Western Pacific and is a member of the Marina Islands. Although the indigenous population is less than 180,000 the island is a popular tourist resort, having many large hotels, a Las Vegas style strip and numerous golf courses. Due to its location and easy access from Japan, the vast majority of tourists are Japanese. Over one million tourists visit the island every year, so locating the winner is not proving easy.

Compared with the economy of Guam even a third share in the prize money of $6 million is a great deal of money. Apart from revenues from tourism and a number of small local businesses, the only income is from the United States which contributes to the island economy from its overseas federal funds. The island cannot considered to be poor, and it boasts a University, a public school system and a modern hospital, but the island has suffered from increasing economic pressures dating back to around 1995 and the infrastructure is struggling to maintain reasonable standards.

It is known where the winning ticket was purchased, the time of purchase and the price paid (which was $7.80). The last four digits of the elusive ticket are 1649. The organisation searching for the ticket holder is the Guam National Olympic Committee or GNOC.

It is not surprising that the Guam authorities are as keen as the GNOC to locate the winner. Prize winnings are taxed in Guam at a rate of 20%, and the winner must also pay income tax. As a result the Guam Department of Revenue & Taxation is looking forward to receiving a payment of $700,000. . The winner stands to enjoy $1,300,000 – a prize surely worth stepping up for!