Two fortunate individuals holding Premium Bonds in Liverpool and Bedfordshire have each won a £1 million prize, according to National Savings & Investments. The first winning Bond number, 489TB013219, belongs to a Central Bedfordshire resident who purchased it in February 2022. The second £1 million jackpot Bond number, 040QJ919368, is owned by a person from Liverpool who acquired it in October 2004.
These winners are part of over 6.1 million prizes totaling £408 million drawn by ERNIE this month. ERNIE, the Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment, generates random numbers for the monthly prize draw using advanced technology. Since the inception of Premium Bonds in 1957, the total amount won by bondholders has reached £40 billion, with 815 million prizes awarded.
While two individuals claimed £1 million each, most prizes are of smaller denominations. Notably, 78 Bond holders won £100,000 each, and 154 received £50,000 each. Additionally, there were 2,643,007 prizes valued at £25 each.
Andrew Westhead, the retail director at NS&I, congratulated the jackpot winners from Central Bedfordshire and Liverpool, emphasizing the significant prize amounts and the joy it brings to the winners and their loved ones. Premium Bonds offer a tax-free savings opportunity with a chance to win prizes. Individuals can hold up to £50,000 in Premium Bonds, secured by the Treasury. Newly purchased Bonds must be held for a full month before being eligible for the prize draw.
The jackpot prize was raised to £1 million in April 1994, with two £1 million prizes now awarded monthly. Bond holders can check for winnings using the Premium Bonds prize checker app or visiting the NS&I website after the first working day of each month.
NS&I highlighted the importance of updating contact details to avoid missing out on prize notifications. Currently, over 2.7 million unclaimed prizes worth nearly £114.8 million await collection.