Premium Bonds Prize Checker Issue: NS&I Urges Customers to Delete and Re-download App
National Savings and Investments (NS&I) has issued an update after a Premium Bonds customer reported an issue using the prize checker tool as the September draw results were announced today (September 9).
They responded: "There are no problems with the Premium Bonds prize checker app, if you are being shown an error message to resolve this issue we recommend deleting and re-downloading the app to your device."
September Draw Results
Taking home the first £1million jackpot prize this month was a saver from West Sussex, who had winning Bond 176VT730086.
They purchased this Bond in January 2011 when they invested in £25,000 worth, and they previously had £40,000 in Bonds.
The other £1million prize went to a saver from Cambridgeshire, who holds winning Bond number 539EF052432. They purchased their winning Bond when they bought £1,000 in Bonds in May 2023, and previously they held £13,680 in Bonds.
You can check if you have any unclaimed prizes to collect using the prize checker tool on the NS&I website, as well as via the app or with an Alexa-enable device.
Big Winners Despite Small Holdings
A number of savers who previously had relatively small holdings took home big prizes in the September draw.
This included a lucky winner from Birmingham who won a £100,000 prize despite previously having just £525 in Bonds.
Another saver from Surrey who previously held just £700 in Bonds also won an £100,000 prize. Both these savers purchased their Bonds very recently, in July 2024.
How Premium Bonds Work
Each £1 Bond has an equal chance of being paired with a prize and you can win several prizes in a single draw.
The prize fund rate for Premium Bonds currently stands at 4.4 percent while the odds of winning are 21,000 to one for each Bond.
A person can hold up to £50,000 and the more Bonds you hold, the better your chance of winning. When buying more, you have to buy at least £25 worth.
People often arrange their account so when they win a prize, this is automatically used to buy more Bonds, so increasing their chances of winning again.
The Problem and the Solution
National Savings and Investments has spoken out to Premium Bonds holders and customers who reached out with queries via Twitter, now X.
A customer asked: "I keep getting "something's gone wrong" on the prize checker. Is there a problem?" The group stated they couldn't identify a problem on the system but offered advice on how the customer might be able to set right the situation.
The warning came via social media site Twitter, now X, on the day the latest Premium Bonds winning numbers were announced.
More Than Just the Jackpot
The first £1million jackpot prize this month was claimed by a saver from West Sussex, who had winning Bond 176VT730086. Several savers who previously had relatively small holdings won big prizes in the September draw.
This included a fortunate winner from Birmingham who bagged a £100,000 prize despite previously having just £525 in Bonds.
Another saver from Surrey who previously held just £700 in Bonds also scooped an £100,000 prize. Both these savers purchased their Bonds very recently, in July 2024.
Each £1 Bond has an equal chance of being selected for a prize and you can win several prizes in a single draw.
The prize fund rate for Premium Bonds currently stands at 4.4 percent while the odds of winning are 21,000 to one for each Bond.
A person can hold up to £50,000 and the more Bonds you hold, the better your chance of winning. When buying more, you have to buy at least £25 worth.
People often arrange their account so when they win a prize, this is automatically used to buy more Bonds, so increasing their chances of winning again.
