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£50.
First win for a year and ironically in the month that I moved a few thousand out
I had about 10k in for a couple of years, currently down at around £1500.
I have never won a single penny…
£100 for me again, can't complain
Bugger all here. I've doing ok overall but really no better than a decent easy access account would have got me.
I get the impression that fewer people announce their nil months than pipe up when they have a win which is understandable but does make Premium Bonds look a better prospect than they really are.
I get the impression that fewer people announce their nil months than pipe up when they have a win which is understandable but does make Premium Bonds look a better prospect than they really are.
For balance.. I've had maximum holding for 2 months... Not a bean!
I went 3 months no wins last year with max holding, sold them, just repurchased and running at 6% in 4 months. 100 quid today but had a welcome 500 recently.
**** all yet again
I've won every month this year but I'm shifting most of the money to a high interest account for the next 3 months. I'll then refill the pb account just before the end of January so the short month of February where I'll earn minimal interest but should make me eligible for the pb draw in March. Which is where I'll win 2*£1000000 prizes as the randomised draw will pick 2 numbers next to each other. Winky eye emoji.
December high value winners
https://www.nsandi.com/prize-checker/winners
The rest of us will have to wait until tomorrow to see if we've won £25 or not
December high value winners
One lucky bugger in Liverpool bought £100 in sept 23 & just won £50k 🙂
That list is interesting, many folk with max holdings and also lots of recent purchases, less hope for me, but in theory the same chance on every number!!
That's what you expect though, max holdings win more because they have more chances.
Recent ones win more because there are more recent ones - when you sell it sells the oldest ones first. Eg buy £10k in 2000 and £10k in 2020, sell £10k in 2021 and buy £10k in 2022 you now have £20k all in the last couple of years even though you've had bonds since 2000
As above, there are definitely more recent ones because of churn and the way it by default sells the older ones first.
There is an online form you can fill in to sell specific bonds instead. I have some very old ones bought for me by relatives who are no longer here. It is probably over sentimental and it is just a string of digits, but I keep those ones going and make it sell more recent ones if needed.
Someone who had £15 since 1968 has won £10k!
No jackpot for me according to the big winners published today - it'll be grim Chrimbo without that £1m.
I've had 50k on for 2 draws now.. Nothing on the first and £200 on the second.
So it's pretty crap even compared to a good instant access standard savings account.
I think I read today that they are lowering the odds next year too.
I've already maxed out my ISA allowance for the year do I'll almost certainly pull 20k out and stick it into some sort of ISA in April.
I haven't looked at the big winners list for a few months. If I win anything this month I'll be surprised as I've reduced the number of bonds to guarantee an interest return for the next few months. Then I'll be back in the pb draw for March with a fresh set of numbers nearer the top of the pile. Winky eye emoji ?
with a fresh set of numbers nearer the top of the pile.
I'm not sure you understand how this works.. You don't get better odds?
£100.00.
£25 this month.
Total for 2024 now stands at £1,175. Not got the time or inclination to work out the percentage return just now as the amount in there varied over the year. Not a full pot, so that's ahead of expectations anyway, I'm fairly happy with that. Best was £225 in January, only month with nothing was September
£0. On a reduced pot. The remaining pbs bar £1 will be removed and go to earn interest for 6 weeks. That should earn me at least another £50.
I've had a good year for wins, skewed by an £850 earlier in the year.
.
£200 here.
After last months £100 win, we’re back to the status quo of nowt. That’s £100 win for the year on £10k holding. V. Bad.
My wife has won £100 on a £1000 she managed to save, we are aware though of how it works as we studied the Martin Lewis guide. I can’t post a link but some of you do really need to understand how it works? We can’t afford to lose any money so it makes a nice bonus for Christmas!
Me £200
Mrs Zip £350
Mrs Zips mum £25
Last 6 months for me £800 , mrs zip £1200 ,mrs zips mum £550.
It’s only Mrs Zip that’s beating the bank.
Only £100 this time. Boooo...
Wheelsonfire1 - not sure what you mean about understanding how it works. It’s gambling, without loosing your stake. Your £100 on £1000 is well above the normal odds of winning, and that’s great, especially in time for Xmas, well done. Don’t be expecting that to happen often though.
Anyone using it as savings is gambling that the return is higher than what it would offer in other forms of saving/investing. An easy access ISA pays 4.9% atm and is safe, my £10k would net me a safe £49 a month, I’ve only won £100 over the year in PB which makes it a poor return. But, there’s a chance of winning big(ger), which is why I keep it there.
I know how premium bonds work... It is a tombola raffle, all the prizes will be won every month. It is a random draw, each bond has the same chance of winning as any other. If you hold maximum amount bonds you have a 49999 more chances of winning than if you only hold 1 bond. Winning isn't guaranteed.
I've a good idea of the basic game I'm playing with my money and I'm lucky to do what I'm doing. It has taken a fair amount of restraint to save up.
I won't always win and I'll try to minimise my losses. Premium bonds are my low risk form of gambling.
My current thinking is not too reinvest pb wins straight back into your incomplete holdings as you will lose out on nearly 2 months of interest or just general enjoyment of spending the win.
All pointless musings anyway and my interpretation of luck, winning, losing, profit and loss will be different to someone else's.
£100 for me.
on the 'how it works', how long do you need to have between buying bonds and them being eligible for the draw ? I bought a chunk last week so not expecting them to be eligible till Jan draw..
It's my very first ever draw - ooh the anticipation!
275 on a full pot.
Feels like a good start.
I think I asked for winnings to be paid into my bank account - how long does that typically take?
how long do you need to have between buying bonds and them being eligible for the draw ? I bought a chunk last week so not expecting them to be eligible till Jan draw
Yes, that's right. You need to hold them for an entire month before they become eligible, so anything bought in November will be eligible from January onwards. This is different for prizes which become eligible straight away if reinvested.
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My current thinking is not too reinvest pb wins straight back into your incomplete holdings as you will lose out on nearly 2 months of interest or just general enjoyment of spending the win.
I have no idea what Rick is on about here
how long do you need to have between buying bonds and them being eligible for the draw ?
One full calender month.
So deposit in pb account near the end of one month (so you earn interest up to this point) then you miss the next draw, which would be a few days later, then you'll be in the draw around 30 days later.
I'll be re entering the pb game at the end of January so I'll miss out on February's (short month) interest earnings and be in the draw for March.
And because the bonds will be at the top of the pile Ernie will have a better chance of picking my bonds out. As mentioned earlier in the thread. Winky eye emoji!
Nothing yet again for me (I only have around £7k in there).
I have no idea what Rick is on about here
Actually, I think I've worked it out, You aren't using the automatic reinvestment thing are you? In which case it's better to keep the prize in your own account until the end of the month rather than buy more as soon as you get it to get some interest before you buy. But the new ones will be eligible earlier if you use the reinvestment option
Naff all here.
"I think I asked for winnings to be paid into my bank account – how long does that typically take?"
Mine appears in my bank account on the 6th of the month.
Oh £100 this month on a full pot.
£225 this month, 5.8% return over the past year.
But the new ones will be eligible earlier if you use the reinvestment option
Any winnings will only be eligible for the draw when then have completed a full calender month in your account? So the government/ns&i will be earning on your winnings rather than yourself.
Either way, I enjoyed the winnings turning up in my bank account more than the amazingly small odds of actually winning something with a small prize.
For the next 2 months I'll have £1/month in the draw. If I win a million I'll be pleased/retiring!