May 2017 Premium Bonds prizes

May’s Premium Bonds millionaires

For the May 2017 draw, ERNIE paid out over 2.2 million prizes of more than £65 million in value. There were 68,647,935,559 eligible Bond numbers in the draw.

This brings the grand total of prizes since the first draw in June 1957, to 369 million and the value of those prizes to £17.4 billion.

Prize and value breakdown in May 2017

May’s prize fund rate and odds

The annual Premium Bonds prize fund rate is currently 1.15% and the odds of each individual Bond number winning a prize are 30,000 to 1.  Each Bond number has the same chance of winning, regardless of when or where it was bought.

ERNIE

• The Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment, or ERNIE, generates numbers completely at random for the prize draw and it is impossible for anyone to predict ERNIE’s numbers or to influence the results of the draw
• The first ERNIE was invented by one of the original Bletchley Park code breakers
• ERNIE is now in its fourth generation

Keeping track of Premium Bonds

• The NS&I Premium Bonds prize checker app can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play. It is quick and easy to use and lets customers check if they’ve won a prize in the past six months
• Customers can also check if they have won by using the Premium Bonds prize checker on nsandi.com

Unclaimed Premium Bonds prizes

• Across the UK there are over 1.3 million unclaimed Premium Bonds prizes worth more than £55 million
• In Cheshire East there are 7,144 prizes currently unclaimed worth £273,075. The oldest is from February 1970 (worth £25), while there are six unclaimed prizes worth £1,000.
• A total of £544,375 remains unclaimed from Tyne and Wear, from 13,420 prizes yet to be paid out from the county. Among these are 11 prizes of £1000 or more, including one prize of £10,000, while the oldest dates back to May 1966 and is worth £25.
• Premium Bonds holders can reduce the chances of their prizes becoming unclaimed by registering to have any prizes paid directly into their bank accounts (with notification by email): http://www.nsandi.com/register
• There is no time limit for claiming prizes

Notes to Editors

1. NS&I has a wealth of facts and figures (including regional) about Premium Bonds. If you require any further details, please contact the NS&I media team or tweet your question to @nsandi
2. You can read more about Premium Bond prize winners at www.nsandi.com/winning-stories
3. All Premium Bond prizes are free of UK Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax.
4. NS&I is one of the largest savings organisations in the UK, offering a range of savings and investments to 25 million customers. All products offer 100% capital security, because NS&I is backed by HM Treasury.
5. The annual Premium Bonds prize fund rate is currently 1.15% and the odds of each individual Bond number winning any prize are 30,000 to 1.
6. Pictures of ERNIE (including the ERNIE 4 machine), NS&I’s Agent Millions and people buying Premium Bonds are available in high-resolution jpeg format from the NS&I media team.
7. Customers can buy Premium Bonds online at nsandi.com and over the phone by calling 08085 007 007. This is a new freephone number and calls to it from the UK are free from both landlines and mobiles. Telephone calls may be recorded.
8. Further information on NS&I (National Savings and Investments), including press releases and product information, is available on the website at nsandi.com. Follow us on Twitter: @nsandi or join the conversation on Facebook: Premium Bonds made by ERNIE