Two fortunate holders of Premium Bonds in Liverpool and Bedfordshire have each won a £1 million prize, as confirmed by National Savings & Investments, a government-backed institution. The first £1 million winning Bond number this month is 489TB013219, held by an individual from Central Bedfordshire who purchased the Bond in February 2022, maxing out the allowable £50,000 holding per person under NS&I’s limit.
The second £1 million jackpot Bond number is 040QJ919368, held by a person in Liverpool, purchased in October 2004 with a maximum holding of £50,000. These winners are part of over 6.1 million Premium Bond prizes totaling £408 million drawn by ERNIE this month.
ERNIE, the Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment, utilizes cutting-edge technology to generate random numbers for the monthly prize draw. This month’s draw has brought the total winnings for Premium Bonds holders to £40 billion since the 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, there were 2,643,007 prizes worth £25 each.
Andrew Westhead, NS&I’s retail director, congratulated the two jackpot winners from Central Bedfordshire and Liverpool, highlighting the significant winnings totaling over £408 million for more than 6.1 million prizes this month. Premium Bonds offer individuals a tax-free chance to save money and win prizes, with a maximum holding of £50,000 backed by the Treasury.
The jackpot prize was raised to £1 million in April 1994, leading to two £1 million prizes awarded monthly. Winners can check their prizes using the Premium Bonds prize checker app or visiting the NS&I website the day after the first working day of each month, such as Tuesday, February 3 for this month’s draw.
NS&I emphasized the importance of updating contact details to avoid missing out on prize notifications, as there are currently over 2.7 million unclaimed prizes worth nearly £114.8 million waiting to be claimed.