Premium Bond results for September 2026 announced including £1million prizes

The latest round of Premium Bond results for September 2026 revealed two individuals who each won the top prize of £1 million. One of the winners resides in London, having acquired their winning bond, numbered 659VC982054, just eight months prior in January 2026. This individual holds £45,500 in Premium Bonds. The other £1 million prize was claimed by a resident of Norwich, who had invested the maximum allowable amount of £50,000 in Premium Bonds. Their winning bond, 484QT130447, was purchased in January 2022. In addition to these two major wins, another Premium Bond holder with only £120 invested won the second-largest prize of £100,000. Their winning bond, 107TC865778, was purchased in March 2006. Another individual secured £100,000 with £800 in Premium Bonds, while yet another person won £50,000 despite having only £100 invested. Andrew Westhead, NS&I Retail Director, commented on the significance of these wins, stating that ERNIE, the electronic random number generator used for the draws, brought "autumnal joy" to the winners in London and Norwich. Premium Bonds, introduced nearly seven decades ago in November 1956 by then-Chancellor of the Exchequer Harold Macmillan, initially offered a top prize of £1,000. Over time, the jackpot grew to reach £1 million by 1994. Since then, ERNIE has facilitated the drawing of 586 £1 million prizes. As a government-backed savings product, Premium Bonds are managed by NS&I, which is supported by the Treasury. Unlike traditional savings accounts, Premium Bonds do not pay interest directly; instead, investors are entered into a monthly prize draw. Each month, there is a chance to win prizes ranging from £25 to £1 million. While the largest prizes are rare, with only two £1 million winners each month, the majority of prizes are much smaller. Typically, thousands of £25 prizes are awarded each month compared to the two large ones. The maximum amount that can be invested in Premium Bonds is £50,000, and each £1 invested generates a unique bond number. New purchases must be held for one full calendar month before they become eligible for the prize draw. The current odds of a bond winning are 21,000 to 1 for every £1 bond. The prize fund rate, which serves as a proxy for an interest rate, has increased this month from 3.80% to 4.35%. If a winner receives notification via email or text message from NS&I, they can opt to receive the funds directly into their bank account or reinvest them into Premium Bonds. Winners can also use the NS&I online prize checker tool or the Premium Bonds prize checker app to verify their status. Currently, over 22 million people participate in the Premium Bonds scheme, with total investments exceeding £137 billion. The September draw took place on Tuesday, 1 September 2026, with the results becoming available the following day. The NS&I publishes the outcomes of each draw, allowing participants to check their bond numbers against the list of winning numbers. According to analysis by financial expert Martin Lewis, the effective interest rate on Premium Bonds, considering all winnings, stands at 3.8 percent. However, he noted that most individuals will not experience such returns, as the probability of winning remains relatively low. Despite the low likelihood of winning, the Premium Bonds scheme offers a risk-free alternative to conventional savings accounts, ensuring that investors do not lose their principal. The distribution of prizes varies each month, with specific figures for January 2026 showing the allocation of various prize amounts. For instance, there were two £1 million prizes, 77 prizes of £100,000, and so on down to numerous £25 prizes. These distributions highlight the wide range of potential outcomes for Premium Bond holders, from modest gains to life-changing windfalls.