Won: £1m – ‘I realised that I could be comfortable for the rest of my life’
When Agent Million turned up on Gary’s* doorstep one Thursday evening, he thought the smartly dressed woman was an undercover police officer. “My first thought was that she was a chief inspector. I racked my brain and hoped I hadn’t bashed my van into a car earlier on in the day,” Gary says.
But instead of a caution, Agent Million delivered Gary some life-changing news – that he was one of that month’s top Premium Bonds prize winners.
He adds: “My first reaction to being told I had won £1m was relief, mainly that I hadn’t hit someone’s car. But once the news sank in, though I was too young to retire off it, I realised that if I remained sensible, I could be comfortable for the rest of my life.”
Being only 34 years old at the time of the win five years ago, Gary quickly decided he was going to continue his work as a self-employed painter and decorator. But he did buy himself a property and move out of his mother’s house, as well as taking advice from the financial planning firm appointed by NS&I to provide support to £1m jackpot winners.
“Before my win, I thought I would never be able to own my own house,” Gary adds. “But now I don’t even have to worry about mortgage payments.”
And while Gary has always been sensible with money – saving into a private pension since he was 18 years old – the £1m prize has meant he can relax because he feels secure about his future.
“I didn’t sleep much that night, but I’d definitely decided I was going to continue working as normal, perhaps taking the odd day off now and then,” he says. “It was a comforting feeling more than anything else, that feeling that I could pretty much carry on as normal, but without having to worry as much.”
Won: £50,000 – ‘I believe luck never runs out, so I’ll definitely buy more’
Graham had been investing in Premium Bonds for 15 years when he won £50,000. “I got the envelope and thought it was a mailing asking if I wanted to buy more bonds – until I saw the letter inside. I reread the figure again and again because I thought it said £5,000,” he says.
Graham used the money to buy a house, but he raised a few eyebrows when he said he would pay in cash. “I got some funny looks when I told the building society that I could buy it outright and wouldn’t need a mortgage,” he says.
Though Graham cashed in his Premium Bonds to pay for an extension for his new home, he does plan to reinvest, as he would love to experience the thrill of another win. He adds: “I believe luck never runs out, so I’ll definitely buy more.”
Won: £1m – ‘I’ve told very few people’
Anyone who buys Premium Bonds dreams of winning big. But Hannah’s* very first Premium Bonds win was the top prize of £1m. “It changed my life,” she says.
Hannah opted to put £3,000 into Premium Bonds and hoped she might get a few lucky wins as a result. But when Agent Million arrived at her home on a Sunday afternoon about a year later to say Hannah had hit the jackpot, she could hardly believe it was true.
“I nearly passed out when I was told that I’d won,” Hannah adds. “I was totally overwhelmed.”
While the big windfall put her in a position to buy herself a house and secure her future, Hannah straight away decided to invest the maximum amount permitted in Premium Bonds in the hope of enjoying the excitement of another win. And she insists the smaller regular payments she has received in winnings since give her almost as much of a thrill as that life-changing first prize.
“I’ve told very few people about it, just people who can share the secret and still act normally,” she says. Sometimes, though, she is a little more candid with people she doesn’t know. “I do sometimes tell strangers that, thanks to ERNIE**, I’m having a lovely time.”
*The names of Gary and Hannah have been changed to protect their identities.
**Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment
Having something to save towards can make putting money aside easier. With the help of NS&I, you can reach your goal too. Visit nsandi.com to find out how you can save for a sunny day
