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PREMIUM BONDS JULY/AUG 2026

969 replies

Blondeshavemorefun · 30/06/2026 21:48

PB have been about since 1957 so 80yrs next year

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.

From July’s draw the expected prize rate will go from 3.3 per cent to 3.8 per cent while the odds of any £1 bond winning will shorten from 23,000 to one to 22,000 to one.

In August 2023, we had the highest 4.65%

The total prize pot will go from just under £376.2 million to £436.8 million — up £60.6 million.

So providing you have more than £100 you have better odds winning something from pb than winning the lottery 😄

And obviously far better than the lottery - you don’t lose your stake !!!!!!

https://www.saga.co.uk/money-news/premium-bonds

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.

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 !!! Or in fact any prize

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

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://pbprizes.com/calculator/

shows the interest rate of the winnings - obv anything over 3.80 % is good as if in an account you wouid be taxed so be more like 3%

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 £1900 (3.8%) interest on £50k

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

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 and 3.8% excellent

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 😄

Prize Checker

Ready to see if you have won a prize? Enter your holder's number to check if you’ve won in this month’s Premium Bonds draw. Good luck!

https://www.nsandi.com/prize-checker

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
DuckBushCityLimit · 01/09/2026 07:17

westisbest1982 · 01/09/2026 07:06

Congratulations @DuckBushCityLimit Any plans for that lovely prize?

Not sure yet! Reinvesting it would take me up to almost FH, so I might just do that for now while I consider my options. My PB money is mostly earmarked as a fund for helping DC with uni costs etc (DD1 hopefully starting next year), and this extra money will obviously be a huge boost.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 01/09/2026 07:19

I’ve not got time to check yet, but huge congratulations @DuckBushCityLimit - what a lovely surprise to start your day 🎉🎉

Blondeshavemorefun · 01/09/2026 07:28

Omg @DuckBushCityLimit. That’s amazing. Well done - so our months winner so far 🌟🌟

OP posts:
1985goingbackagain · 01/09/2026 07:30

@DuckBushCityLimitplease can you post a screenshot of your app tomorrow - I love seeing it and dreaming of scrolling through to find the same on mine (rather than £25 which is all mine usually is!)

Congratulations!

Gazelda · 01/09/2026 07:39

Oh @DuckBushCityLimitthats fabulous! Huge congratulations

ScarlettSunset · 01/09/2026 07:47

Congratulations @DuckBushCityLimit what a fabulous win!

recklessgran · 01/09/2026 07:54

Oooh congratulations @DuckBushCityLimit absolutely brilliant - hope today's the best day ever. Good Luck for tonight everybody.

Vinorosso74 · 01/09/2026 08:07

@DuckBushCityLimit congratulations! That's a great win!
I'm not on the high value list, I did get briefly excited as someone in my area with the same holdings as me is but bought before I had mine. Oh well.
Good luck for some winnings everyone

baytreelane23 · 01/09/2026 08:15

Not on the high winners list. I also doubt I’ll win again tomorrow. I’ve had 2.5 years of a very poor return. I know they’ve just increased their interest rate but I think I’m going to move my bonds into a tax free isa before Christmas as over the last couple of years I could have earned at least £1500 more guaranteed.

baytreelane23 · 01/09/2026 08:15

Congrats @DuckBushCityLimitthat’s amazing 🙌🙌🙌

AllaMova · 01/09/2026 08:16

Congratulations, @DuckBushCityLimit! That’s a lovely win.

I had a brief moment off excitement when I realised someone from my area, with the same amount of bonds as me won £10k. Then I realised then I realised the value of bonds amount was too high to be mine. (I even checked my bond record, but it definitely isn’t me.)

Never mind. Got my fingers crossed for a small win tomorrow.

Overjiggly · 01/09/2026 08:40

Congratulations @DuckBushCityLimit 🥳 how exciting to find yourself on the list!

KitsyWitsy · 01/09/2026 08:46

DuckBushCityLimit · 01/09/2026 05:47

I'M ON THE LIST!!

I guess I've kind of spoiled the excitement of the prize checker app for myself, but OMG. £10,000!

Congrats!!!!

Feelinglucky2025 · 01/09/2026 08:54

Nothing on the list for me this month so on to hoping for something on the app tonight.

Congrats to our £10k winner. How lovely

MirrorMirror1247 · 01/09/2026 09:12

Nothing for me on the list but maybe I'll get something tomorrow. I'm about to buy a house so a few smaller wins would be very nice to cushion the blow of emptying my savings account!

DundeeNewcastle · 01/09/2026 09:16

Nothing for me this month...YET!

Congrats @DuckBushCityLimit !

HouseHouseHouse7 · 01/09/2026 09:16

Congrats! £10k!

Nothing for me (had a very quick look) so holding out for a few smaller prizes.

LatteLady · 01/09/2026 09:33

@DuckBushCityLimit Your post has made my morning! Nothing on today's list but there is always tomorrow...

Rollercoaster1920 · 01/09/2026 09:53

Looking at that high value prize spreadsheet keeps the dream alive! Quite a few winners of £100,000 have quite small total holdings. Someone in Berkshire with £120 total holding.

SmotherhoodandApplePie · 01/09/2026 10:49

I don't get how to use the list! Can anyone give me a tip please?
Although I've had a dry run for 4 months now so I'm not expecting anything at all. The app isn't showing anything which I guess means month 5 and nothing.
and congrats to @DuckBushCityLimit !!!

wigletswiglet · 01/09/2026 10:56

If you win one of the bigger prizes, do you get any advance warning other than the big winners list being published?

1985goingbackagain · 01/09/2026 11:00

wigletswiglet · 01/09/2026 10:56

If you win one of the bigger prizes, do you get any advance warning other than the big winners list being published?

No - you can just find out via the app. The app always shows prizes in ascending order so the first one might be £25 and say it’s 1 of 3 prizes and then subsequent ones can be much more (or more likely all just £25 😢😂)

DuckBushCityLimit · 01/09/2026 11:06

SmotherhoodandApplePie · 01/09/2026 10:49

I don't get how to use the list! Can anyone give me a tip please?
Although I've had a dry run for 4 months now so I'm not expecting anything at all. The app isn't showing anything which I guess means month 5 and nothing.
and congrats to @DuckBushCityLimit !!!

The app won't show wins until midnight tonight, so you're not out of the running yet!

The list I check by sorting the spreadsheet by area name column A-Z, then looking down the total holding figures for winners in my area. My current holding is not a round figure, so it jumped out at me! Then I confirmed the other details to be sure it was really my win (bond purchase date and size, bond number).

DuckBushCityLimit · 01/09/2026 11:17

wigletswiglet · 01/09/2026 10:56

If you win one of the bigger prizes, do you get any advance warning other than the big winners list being published?

I think from what other winners here have said, for big prizes you do eventually get a letter in the post because they need to do some additional checks before they pay the money out, but not until after the list/app publication. So the list is the first way to know.

westisbest1982 · 01/09/2026 11:20

Worth pointing out that for some people they’ve seen their prizes on the website a bit early - from 23.00ish on the day before all results are published, so that’s tonight.