Two lucky people have just scooped the £1million jackpot in September's Premium Bonds prize draw - but they're not the only big winners this month.
The first jackpot went to a man from Wales, picking up a cool £1million prize with Bond 250SL107433.
He bought the winning bond the winning Bond in July 2015 and has a total of £17,545 in Premium Bonds.
September’s second million-pound prize went to a woman from South Scotland. Her winning Bond (093XD777211) was bought back in March 2003 - she's the 3rd person from South Scotland to win the top prize.
Overall, more than 3.8million prizes were handed out in July worth worth £110,218,450, NS&I said.
Since the first draw in June 1957, ERNIE has drawn 491 million prizes with a total value of £20.9 billion - but how they arrive has been changing over the years.
NS&I chief executive Ian Ackerley said: “We’re absolutely delighted for our two winners in Wales and South Scotland who have won this life changing sum of money. The easiest way for customers to get any prizes they win is to have them paid directly into their bank account.
"Customers can also choose to have their prizes automatically reinvested into more Premium Bonds, giving them more chances of winning in future draws.
“Every £1 Bond number has an equal chance of winning, which is why the enduring magic of Premium Bonds and the chance to win a prize each month are still one of the most fun ways to get into that savings habit.”
How to find out if you're a winner
Customers can check to see if they have won on the nsandi.com prize checker and prize checker app from Thursday 2 July 2020. Customers will require their Premium Bonds holders’ number to see if they have won.
Those who have chosen to have prizes paid to their bank account, or have their prizes reinvested, will be informed whether they have won by email or text message and can check the online prize checker at nsandi.com or the NS&I prize checker app to see the value of their prize.
Customers who still receive warrants will receive notification through the post.
Find forgotten Premium Bond prizes
National Savings and Investments, which runs Premium Bonds, revealed there are now more than £64million worth of prizes unclaimed from Premium Bonds waiting for people to bank.
You can find out if any of your Premium Bonds are winners by downloading the prize checker app from the App Store or Google Play, or visit the prize checker at nsandi.com.
Customers manage their Bonds online at nsandi.com and by phone.
At the moment the odds of a bond winning each month are 24,500 to 1, and the vast majority of the prizes are for £25. That works out as a 1.4% prize fund rate.
Customers can choose to have their prizes paid straight into their bank account, or to have them automatically reinvested into new Premium Bonds account, if their total holding is below the maximum threshold of £50,000.
Other ways to boost your savings
A Premium Bond may appeal to those who like a the excitement of waiting to find out if they've won, but if you’re a slow and steady saver, there are more reliable ways to grow your money.
Here’s our guide to growing your cash by finding better savings rates, whether that’s through a traditional ISA or peer-to-peer lending.
We’ve also got tips on how to find the best cash ISA, and 3 ways to nab yourself better savings rates.
If you don’t mind a gamble, but like a bit more control, you could find a stocks and shares ISA rewarding - find out more here.
