‘Agent Million’ delivered the life-changing news to the February winners based in Sefton in Merseyside, and Sheffield.

The first winning bond number drawn was 109ZT548786 and belongs to the winner in Sefton who held £30,000 in total. The winning bond number was bought in May 2006.

Meanwhile, the second winning bond number drawn was 136RN551344 and is held by a saver in Sheffield. They hold just £3,000 in Premium Bonds and bought their winning bond in February 2008.

Since the £1m prize was launched in April 1994, 500 people have now won the £1m jackpot. However, only 33 winners have won with a holding worth less than the Sheffield winner.

With NS&I previously announcing that February’s Premium Bonds prize fund rate will be 3.15% – its highest level in 14 years – this month’s draw will see close to five million prizes paid out, worth £313.9m.

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The change to the Premium Bonds prize fund rate is the fourth increase that NS&I has made in less than a year, meaning the rate has tripled since the May 2022 prize draw.

‘Investment has paid off’

Jill Waters, NS&I retail director, said: “February 2023 is a month to remember for Premium Bonds. Not only has the prize fund rate reached its highest level in 14 years, but we’ve now created an amazing 500 Premium Bonds millionaires since 1994 thanks to today’s landmark draw.

“What a story for that 500th £1m winner – this customer from Sheffield holds £3,000 in Premium Bonds, which is one of the lowest value holdings to ever scoop the coveted jackpot prize since it was launched. Their investment 15 years ago has paid off for them, along with our Sefton winner who bought their winning Bond almost 17 years ago. Massive congratulations to both of them and here’s to the next 500 Premium Bonds millionaires.”

Checking prizes

While the jackpot winners find out on the first working day of the month, for everyone else, you can check if you have won a prize in February’s prize draw by using the nsandi.com prize checker, official prize checker app or an Alexa-enabled device from Thursday 2 February 2023.

Customers will need their Premium Bonds holder’s number to use the website and the NS&I number or holder’s number to check via the prize checker app. At the same time, you can check for any unclaimed prizes.

In the February 2023 prize draw, a total of 4,983,114 prizes worth £313,936,100 will be paid out.

There were 119,594,702,144 Bond numbers eligible for the draw. Since the first draw in July 1957, ERNIE (Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment) has drawn 606 million prizes with a total value of £24.7bn.

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 Sheffield, there are 12,244 unclaimed prizes worth £431,375. The largest unclaimed prize is £5,000 and is from the October 2011 prize draw. The oldest unclaimed prize in Sheffield is from July 1968 and is worth £25.

In Sefton, there are 9,473 unclaimed prizes with a total value of £320,600. £1,000 is the largest unclaimed prize in Sefton and there are three of these that have not been claimed from between September 1994 and October 2020. The oldest unclaimed prize in Sefton is from January 1967 and is worth £25.

The best way for customers to ensure that prizes do not go unclaimed is to have them automatically paid directly into their bank account or reinvested into more Premium Bonds.

More than nine in 10 prizes are now paid this way as it is quicker and more secure than waiting for a cheque.

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.