In Liverpool and Bedfordshire, two fortunate holders of Premium Bonds each won a £1 million prize, as confirmed by National Savings & Investments (NS&I).
The first £1 million winning Bond number this month is 489TB013219, owned by a Central Bedfordshire resident who purchased the Bond in February 2022, maxing out the £50,000 limit per person set by NS&I.
The second £1 million jackpot Bond number, 040QJ919368, belongs to a Liverpool resident who also holds the maximum £50,000 and bought the winning Bond 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, utilizes advanced technology for the monthly prize draws. To date, Premium Bonds have awarded winners a total of £40 billion since their inception in 1957, with 815 million prizes distributed.
While two individuals secured £1 million each, the majority of prizes are of lesser value. However, 78 Bond holders won £100,000 each, and 154 received £50,000 each. Additionally, 2,643,007 prizes worth £25 each were awarded.
Andrew Westhead, NS&I’s retail director, congratulated the jackpot winners and highlighted that this month’s prizes exceeded £408 million. Premium Bonds offer a tax-free way for savers to potentially win prizes, with individuals allowed to hold up to £50,000 backed by the Treasury. New Premium Bonds need to be held for a full calendar month before being eligible for the draw.
The jackpot prize was raised to £1 million in April 1994, with two £1 million prizes now awarded monthly. Winners can check their status using the Premium Bonds prize checker app or by visiting the NS&I website by Tuesday, February 3, to see if they have won.
Winners receive notifications of their prizes via email or text if they have provided contact details. NS&I cautioned that failing to update contact or bank details could result in missing out on prizes, as over 2.7 million unclaimed prizes worth nearly £114.8 million are waiting to be claimed.