PREMIUM BONDS DEC/JAN 2026

[Blondeshavemorefun]

PB have been about since 1957
Been 30yrs (April 2024) since a million was then the highest prize
nsandi-corporate.com/news-research/news/30-years-premium-bonds-ps1-million-jackpots#
Each bond is £1. You have to buy in minimum of £25 so means 25 chances to win every purchase - years ago you could buy £1 at a time.

Odds of winning £1 million on Premium Bonds at face value are 1 in 2,489,469,818 if you have £25 in PBs.
However most people have more than £25 so the odds depend on how much you do hold.

If you have £100 the odds in any given month are 1 in 49,563,028
£1,000 in PB the odds are 1 in 4,954,991
£50,000 in PB the odds are 1 in 96,839
To win anything odds are 1 in 22000
So providing you have more than £100 you have better odds than winning the lottery 😄
And obviously far better than the lottery - you don’t lose your stake !!!!!!

Bonds have to be in for a clear month before going into the draw
If you want to cash bonds in then usually takes 3 days to go into your account

Winnings can be reinvested if holdings are under £50k

This means they will go into the next months draw without losing a month
Or sent to named bank account if winnings take over FH /want winnings in bank account
More info here
www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/savings/types-of-savings/premium-bonds

The best time to buy premium bonds is on the last day of the month, as this means they are only held by NSI for one month and one day, without being entered into the prize draw.

Martin Lewis’s opinion on pb - quite an interesting read
https://www.saga.co.uk/money-news/premium-bonds
PB to me is the fun and thrill each month of what if I win big and a millionaire - to then hoping win thousands to a day or two later being grateful if win £25😂

I have nowhere near the maximum and probably never will unless I win £50k + on pb

But only takes one £1 to win that million !!!

I love seeing the low holdings win high amounts

We've seen over the years £100 holding win a million (March 25) also a £100 holding win £100k and £50 win £25k and even £1 won £10k

Maximum is £50k per person so some do have all for family- mum dad and 2 kids so £200k etx

Those on the thread are varying from few hundred /few thousand - to 20/30k to full holdings of £50k

Everyone is welcome to join in whether small or full holdings

One would expect if had full holdings of £50k to win something every month and think over the year to earn the same as if in a high interest account to win around £1800 in prizes at 3.6%

If have £5k average luck is £175 winnings a year

If have £1.5k average luck is £25 once a year

Obviously some people have better 'luck' than others and some worse - Ie full holdings and not winning anything a month or two or even longer

PB odds calculator below

https://moneymarvel.co.uk/calculators/premium-bonds/

shows the interest rate of the winnings - obv anything over 4% is good as if in an account you wouid be taxed so be more like 3%)

In August 2023, we had the highest 4.65% But it has been steadily falling since, and of August 2025 it’s 3.6 %

Estimated prizes in August compared to June:
£1m - same
£100k - 4 less
£50k - 8 less
£25k - 15 less
£10k - 38 less
£5k - 78 less
£1k - 780 less
£500 - 2340 less
£100 and £50 - 16,5872 less each

But

£25 - 371,737 more.

So many of us may win £25 from August but means the higher value prizes are way less 🙀😢

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/cost-of-living/nsi-premium-bonds-rate-changes-31317737

From google (august 2023) - The consistent winners are the 1.16 million people who have the maximum £50,000.

They hold almost half of all premium bonds and, at current odds of 1/22000 can expect a monthly stream of tax-free prizes: two a month and three almost every other month, 28 or 29 a year totaling £1800 (3.6% interest on £50k)
From google (Jan 2024) Tho equally With Premium Bonds, for every person who wins £1 million, a lot of people have to win nothing. So the median average will always be lower than the mean average.

This means that, with average luck, most people will win less than the prize rate each year, regardless of how many bonds they hold

To work out your own personal % rate

Winnings divided by amount have x 100

So say over the year 450 on fh ,1700 on fh and £25 on £1000

450 / 50000 x 100 =.9% so bad

1700/50000 x 100=3.4% so good

25/1000x100=2.5% so an average return

But many on here do have £50k and then consider moving it to an account that pays 4% if their bonds aren't doing very well as would then def get extra money

But remember savings /interest get taxed
PB and their winnings don't
So anything over 3% in winnings is considered good.

People dither whether to pull out from pb and put in high interest account if not winning anything so that they will def earn x amount of interest

But then lose the what if won a million or £100k

If you have PB but not sure if you have ever won esp if moved about a lot
you can write to NS&I. Include these details in the letter:
Current name

Current address

Premium Bond holder number& date of birth

All previous addresses where you might have registered bonds

Your signature

You can send your letter to:
NS&I
Sunderland
SR43 2SB.

There are 2 apps afaik
Cream - prize checker and if won previous month will show a pic - which we all get excited over 😂😂😂

Blue - the app its self works but the showing early often doesn't work for me but those who reinvest their winnings say it shows if won the day before app shows 🙀🙀🙀

Seems the higher the winnings the earlier it shows and can be from 6pm the night before the app shows
And to confuse things I have a White app that is a bookmark - which shows info/list 😄😄😄

Now this has been debated on MANY times but seems to be correct
When do we find out if going to get a visit from AM 😂

The two winners of the £1million prizes will be contacted by Agent Million (AM) 😂😂 the day before the first working day of the corresponding month.

There may however be exceptions to this, such as when the first working day of the month is a bank holiday, for example.

So
AM - Day before first working day - Millionaire knock /call
LIST - First day of working month showing all winners million to £1k winners - which I always put up for those who can't find it
APP - Day after first working day , including weekends - cream app showing all winnings

You can also check to see if have won via this link with your holders number
www.nsandi.com/prize-checker

Hopefully I've covered everything
Good luck one and all 😄

Absolutely. You are the total winner @PollyPlumPeach of all the threads

I give you a blondes gold star 🌟 - in return bung me a few golden coins 😂😂

Thanks very much for the congratulations guys.
To answer some of the questions -

I don't use any other prize checker, just the app, so it came as a surprise to me

I've not spent it on anything, just did the boring thing of sticking it in savings while I decide whether to pay off a chunk of the mortgage or use towards an extension. I did spend a couple of thousand on a few bits like clothes, some treats and an item of furniture, which was nice to do guilt-free (I'm a saver not a spender so can feel bad about spending on things even though we are thankfully comfortably off - usually get clothes from Primark or Vinted etc)

I've had premium bonds for nearly 20 years now, albeit we've only had full holdings in the last few years. Until that big win the most I had won in a single prize was £500 (which I was delighted with!)

Well deserved then if had for 20yrs

Me, DH and DC have 16.5k (total) across a few accounts. Started accumulating PB in July 2025. We haven't won any prize yet. Anyone else with similar holdings and how has your win rate been? Impatiently waiting until February 🤭

I had £5k in PB’s for about a year ages ago when the prize rate was higher than what it is now. I won £100 in that year.

It’s the luck of the draw. Yes with £16k over all , in A year someone should win something - you’ve been in for 6mths and prob didn’t have £16k to put in at once

I have a bit less, currently i think about £15k and started the year with about 10, but last year I got £375 overall (I haven’t worked out the percentage) - lots of months with nothing, and the year before I won very few times! You can have a better guaranteed income from bank interest in many cases but some of us just can’t step away from the possibility of a big win 😝

What a fabulous way to start the week... I am so pleased for you @PollyPlumPeach and hope you spend it or save it joyously!

Lucky you! I’m so pleased for you, what an amazing prize

@PremiumBondJovi is it not time for a sing song

Thanks for the reminder @Blondeshavemorefun. I'm running a bit late with a lot of things this month.
Whoa, we're about half way there!

Thank you 😘

I’ve had my usual listen. It’s such a fab song and they are still sexy !

I have a little less and the last two years i’ve won total in 2024 £200 ( 2 seperate months) and £175 last year in three month prizes. Which is decent return. I’m never going to have FH but i’m happy to keep a small amount in there … just in case!

So I bought £45K in December am I right in thinking February will be my first draw?
I am hoping to be lucky, but to be honest, I’m just trying to get it out of my bank account. It’s a very fortunate position to be in. I do realise but anything that I make I will give to my children

Yes @Nugg

thi why trying to get it out of bank account ?

Tax basically. And the returns aren’t as good at the moment.

Let’s hope you will win

a few FH on here don’t win much and moan about it and to be better to be in an interest account

Well I have a total of £25 in the February draw! I'm waiting on the sale of my dad's house going through, which should be any day now. I'm planning to pay off a couple of things, max out my ISA and another savings account, do a bit of redecorating then the rest will be put into PB for March/April's draw! So I likely won't win anything in Feb, but you never know!

My step grandson who I buy for has won twice in the 4yrs of him having them

£50 on think £50 holding and last month another £50 on maybe £350 holdings

so can happen on on very small holdings

I also do very well for small ones esp v may on here who have FH and win nothing

I’m guessing those who moan haven’t maxed out other stuff as they say they don’t know whether to swap /move

Where do you put your FH if you don’t want to pay tax (as I don’t), don’t want to invest (also me) and you’ve maxed out your ISA? That’s one reason PBs are so handy but as I’ve said before, I personally wouldn’t have a big amount in there for years and not get at least an average return.