Agent Million surprises first two Premium Bonds millionaires of the year

• First two jackpot millionaires of 2024 are from Warwickshire and Nottingham 
• Over 5.8 million prizes worth over £475 million in January 2024 draw 
• Top tips for quickest way to check prizes 

It is already proving to be a happy new year for two Premium Bonds holders in Warwickshire and Nottingham as NS&I announces the first Premium Bonds £1 million jackpot winners of 2024. This month, there were 5,843,447 prizes, resulting in a total payout of over £475 million. 

The first jackpot winner of the year is from Warwickshire and bagged the £1 million with Bond number 546JZ698132. They hold £20,083 in Premium Bonds and purchased the winning Bond in July 2023. Warwickshire is now home to eight Premium Bonds jackpot millionaires. 

The second Bond number ERNIE picked in the jackpot draw was 352SX574068 and the Bond holder comes from Nottingham. The winner holds £49,575 in Premium Bonds and purchased the winning Bond in February 2019. They are the tenth Premium Bonds jackpot millionaire from Nottingham. 

Andrew Westhead, NS&I Retail Director, said : 
“Congratulations to our first millionaires of 2024 from Warwickshire and Nottingham - a wonderful way to welcome the New Year in. The quickest way to check if you have won a prize is to use our Premium Bonds prize checker app, check online, or even ask Alexa from the second working day of each month onwards. New Year is also a good time to check that NS&I has your up-to-date details and to get winnings paid straight into your bank account, so that any of your prizes don’t go unclaimed this year.” 

Checking prizes 
Premium Bonds holders can check to see if they have won a prize in January’s prize draw from Wednesday 3 January 2024. Customers will need their Premium Bonds holder’s number to use the website and their NS&I number or holder’s number to check via the prize checker app. At the same time, they can check for any unclaimed prizes owed to them. 

January 2024 prize draw breakdown 
A total of 5,843,447 prizes worth £475,510,350 will be paid out in the January 2024 prize draw. There were 122,712,350,787 Bond numbers eligible for the draw. Since the first draw in June 1957, ERNIE has drawn over 666 million prizes with a total value of £29 billion.

Premium Bonds are a top pick for savers in the UK, with the minimum investment starting at just £25. Premium Bonds customers can add to their Premium Bonds holding quickly and securely, both for themselves or a child, via Pay by bank account or bank transfer, and more savings mean more chances to win big in the monthly prize draws. 

Customers can find out how to use Pay by bank account, make a bank transfer or set up a standing order into their Premium Bonds here. 

Unclaimed prizes 
Premium Bonds prize winners are notified when they win a prize, but sometimes people move or change their contact details without letting NS&I know – this can lead to unclaimed prizes if they have opted to receive their prize by cheque. 

In Warwickshire, there are 15,928 prizes worth £531,325 that are yet to be claimed. The oldest unclaimed prize is worth £25 and is from the May 1967 draw. The largest unclaimed prize in Warwickshire is worth £10,000 and was from the January 2005 draw. 

In Nottingham, there are 16,967 unclaimed prizes worth £568,150. The oldest unclaimed prize is worth £25 and is from the March 1965 draw. The largest unclaimed prize in Nottingham is worth £1,000 and there are eight in total. These are between the August 1985 and August 2020 draws. 

The best way for customers to ensure they receive their prizes is to have them automatically paid directly into their bank account or reinvested into more Premium Bonds. More than nine in ten prizes are now paid this way as it is quicker and more secure than waiting for a cheque. Customers can find out how to change here . Customers that think they may have an unclaimed Premium Bonds prize can easily check by using NS&I’s online prize checker or the prize checker app.

Notes to editors

1. The first Bond number drawn was 546JZ698132 from Warwickshire. The second Bond number drawn was 352SX574068 from Nottingham.
2. NS&I announced on 8 August 2023 that the Premium Bonds prize fund rate from the September 2023 draw would increase from 4.00% to 4.65%, with the odds improving from 22,000 to 1 to 21,000 to 1. Details of all the changes are here. 
3. NS&I has spokespeople available for interview, including Agent Million, as well as a wealth of national and regional facts and figures about Premium Bonds. If you require any further details, please contact the NS&I media team on the contact details below or tweet your question to @nsandi.
4. All Premium Bonds prizes are free of UK Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax.
5. NS&I is one of the largest savings organisations in the UK, offering a range of savings and investments to more than 24 million customers. All products offer 100% security as NS&I is backed by HM Treasury.
6. Further information on NS&I, including press releases and product information, is available on the website at nsandi.com. Follow us on X/Twitter: @nsandi or join the conversation on Facebook: NS&I.