€25k invested in prize bonds

looksee

Sister in UK just told me she won 150 on Premium Bonds today, that's her second win since February, total of 250, and this is not unusual, she frequently wins 50s. I think she has about 10k in bonds, may be more. Her daughter who has a few k (maybe 6 or 7) of bonds has won 350 in 3 months. I thought the UK economy was scuppered? On the other hand I know nothing about economics.

I cashed all my old bonds which were doing absolutely nothing, about 4 years ago. I now have a reasonable amount to invest that is otherwise sitting in a deposit account doing nothing at all, I'd consider prize bonds but the return doesn't seem amazing. Better than nothing of course.

dxhound2005

She is doing exceptionally well if it is 10K. The expected return on 10K for a year would be £225 (they have £25 prizes). The interest rate is 3.3%, but taking out the big prizes, makes it around 2.25% for someone with 10K. information from Martin Lewis's Money Saving Expert website.

Whatever is happening in the UK, the government must think they have to offer that rate to attract whatever funds they need. Our government and the banks can offer virtually nothing, and still get in more than they need. Neither population is getting anywhere near the inflation rates.

They only hold 12 draws a year, at the start of each month. So I should read "since February" to mean she won £100 in February, and nothing in March?

looksee

Yes, win in Feb, another April. The other one is better again, 350 (not sure how many prizes but more than one) on 6or 7k.

R11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120396612#Comment_120396612

Whats the easiest way to buy €25000 worth of prize bonds???

I bough €25 of prize bonds last week just so I could register on statesavings.ie and then purchase €25k worth online.....however discovered today my bank has a daily spending limit of €2500. Has anyone bought a significant amount of prize bonds lately? How did you do it? They certainly don't make it easy

dxhound2005

A visit to your bank branch to get a bank draft seems to be the way to go, and it won't cost much. Then go to the Post Office, or send the application by post. See posts #8594 and 8547.

The payment methods listed on the application are Cash / Cheque / Debit Card. I'm sure the draft would be regarded the same as a cheque. I notice the application form is headed 26 March 2023, even though it is probably unchanged from before that.

tuisginideach

€50 to spend on easter eggs today

pbwinner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120445568#Comment_120445568

Bank draft, made out to the NTMA

pbwinner

Winnings on 6th April 2023: €0

Last win 5th August 2022: €50

Total winnings on €25k from Feb 2011 to date: €3250

2011: €75 x 4 = €300

2012: €75 x 6 = €450

2013: €50 x 12 = €600

2014: €50 x 9 = €450

2015: €50 x 5 = €250

2016: €50 x 5 = €250

2017: €50 x 4 = €200

2018: €50 x 2 = €100

2019: €50 x 6 = €300

2020: €50 x 5 = €250

2021: €50 x 1 = €50

2022: €50 x 1 = €50

2023: €0

dxhound2005

Nothing for me.

The number of €50 prizes in the April draws is 4,801, up from 4,752 in March. The newest bond to win on 03 March was BDE900303, newest 06 April BDS084912, sales of around €82.4 million.

I noted that the February sales of €37.2 million was low. The March sales are very high. Both were around €60 million in 2022. It looks like some funds received in February were delayed in processing. Overall the figures for the two months combined in both years are nearly the same.

dxhound2005

A very old bond won €50 on 06 April.

Prize Value Winning Prize Bond Location

€50.00 199545 Meath

199544 won IR£100 some time back in the distant past. The cheque was never cashed. In six months time we will be able to see if 199545 joins the Unclaimed list.

For 199500 - 199600

Prize Bond Number Prize ValueS tatus

199544 €126.97 Uncashed i

Sligo Quay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120447794#Comment_120447794

When very old bonds dating back to the late 1950s or 1957 go unclaimed it's likely the original purchaser is probably dead, say if they were aged 20 in 1957, if still alive now would make them 85, kind of sad really, anyway most of the star and jackpot prizes (bond face value €6.25) are won by these bonds, I couldn't tell when an old bond (face value €6.35) won a large prize €50K or €250K, for some reason it just doesn't happen, in spite of being told that the older bonds have better odds, well I don't believe it, anyway nothing for me this week, zero wins so far in 2023.

dxhound2005

Every bond has the same chance*. But the vast majority will go a lifetime not winning a big prize. There are only 21 bonds out of over 700 million winning a big prize in any draw. Like when I did the March count and only 2 bonds out of 80 million won a €500 and a €1,000. They are all brand new bonds.

I did an exercise a long time back to estimate how many bonds at €6.35 are still in the draws. It was around 20 million,meaning that around 96 million of them had been cashed in. They will get €50 prizes in the same proportion as all the other millions of bonds. *except for a tiny weighting given to €6.35 bonds to reflect the extra 10 cents.

Kind of sad when anyone dies. But even during life many people do not look after their money. Vast amounts abandoned in Dormant Accounts. But like Prize Bonds, that money can be claimed by someone at any time. Not so for the €20 million a year that people do not bother collecting when they win a Lotto / Lottery prize. That is gone forever. Only about €4 million waiting to be claimed in Prize Bond wins, not bad for a scheme going since 1957.

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2022-06-14/2017/

PB2018

Wins on 6th April 2023: €0

Last win: 6th January 2023: €50

Weeks since last win: 14

€134k invested in prize bonds since July 2017

Win ratio: 37 wins in 302 weeks (12%)

2017 (Jul-Dec): 5 x €50 = €250

2018 (Jan-Dec): 4 x €50 = €200

2019 (Jan-Dec): 5 x €50 = €250

2020 (Jan-Dec): 10 x €50 = €500

2021 (Jan-Dec): 2 x €50 = €100

2022 (Jan-date): 7 x €50 = €350

2023 (Jan-date): 1 x €50 = €50

looksee

That's 1,700 on 134k in 6 years. Over the same time I have had savings that have made nothing in the bank. I reckon if I do decide to invest in PBs it will be for the entertainment value of possibly winning rather than any huge amount of 'interest' I might hope to earn. Nothing to lose and possibly a bit to gain.

jaffa20

I reinvested some of my prize bonds into a 10 year bond. They took the balance from my prize bonds but i've received nothing in the post or anything yet confirming my 10 year bond. It's also not appearing on my state savings account. I guess will give them 2 weeks to post me something.

blade1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120453796#Comment_120453796

A week and a half ago I withdrew my state savings.

Nothing in bank account yet, just transaction pending on my state savings account.

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120444518#Comment_120444518

Open a savings account with Bunq & get 1.56%, or TradeRepublic and get 2% on uninvested cash balances. Or have a look at raisin and some of their deposit options, better than leaving it sitting in an Irish deposit account or prize bonds. I've a 4k in PBs, have had them for a few years, and not won a cent on them. Am now cashing them out as deposit rates elsewhere have risen.

John arse

Yes and irish banks upping their rates lately,AIB 1% on smaller amounts,PTSB 0.75% instant access up to 50k and some good fixed term rates too- 18 months 1.25% for example,way better than PBs at the moment(D.I.R.T. applies obviously).Now i thought the PB rate was dictated by the interest rates on borrowings and not on what is in the coffers?.Some people will stick with PBs through thick and thin seemingly and that's their prerogative but at the moment with that rate well it's just doesn't make any sense.Hopefully some sort of a rise coming???.Anyway i'm going to wait a while and see how the rates are going forward,good luck to anyone cashing out.👍

massdebater

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120455446#Comment_120455446

Those rates are all terrible, in fairness. Sad state of affairs at the minute

pbwinner

Winnings on 14th April 2023: €0

Last win 5th August 2022: €50

Total winnings on €25k from Feb 2011 to date: €3250

2011: €75 x 4 = €300

2012: €75 x 6 = €450

2013: €50 x 12 = €600

2014: €50 x 9 = €450

2015: €50 x 5 = €250

2016: €50 x 5 = €250

2017: €50 x 4 = €200

2018: €50 x 2 = €100

2019: €50 x 6 = €300

2020: €50 x 5 = €250

2021: €50 x 1 = €50

2022: €50 x 1 = €50

2023: €0

dxhound2005

Nothing for me today.

I noticed the €1,000 and the €50 winners in Louth with the TL prefix. Checking the draws going back for six months, shows that all the winners in a 50,000 range were in Louth. So they won nothing for 10 draws, and then 8 wins in 16 draws. Including a €500, as well at the €1,000 today. That's the way luck can go.

For TL675000 - TL725000

Draw Date Prize Value Prize Bond Number

14 Apr 2023 €1,000.00 TL718491

14 Apr 2023 €50.00 TL679657

31 Mar 2023 €50.00 TL693122

10 Mar 2023 €50.00 TL697949

17 Feb 2023 €50.00 TL681474

03 Feb 2023 €50.00 TL678101

30 Dec 2022 €500.00 TL693019

30 Dec 2022 €50.00 TL710750

POBox19

Nothing, nada or zilch either way zero return.

Trigger Happy

Nada nada nada nada. Rinse and repeat.

PB2018

Wins on 14th April 2023: €0

Last win: 6th January 2023: €50

Weeks since last win: 15

€134k invested in prize bonds since July 2017

Win ratio: 37 wins in 303 weeks (12%)

2017 (Jul-Dec): 5 x €50 = €250

2018 (Jan-Dec): 4 x €50 = €200

2019 (Jan-Dec): 5 x €50 = €250

2020 (Jan-Dec): 10 x €50 = €500

2021 (Jan-Dec): 2 x €50 = €100

2022 (Jan-date): 7 x €50 = €350

2023 (Jan-date): 1 x €50 = €50

tuisginideach

nothing

abff

Another blank today. Nothing yet this year on a holding of €102,550.

pbwinner

Winnings on 21st April 2023: €0

Last win 5th August 2022: €50

Total winnings on €25k from Feb 2011 to date: €3250

2011: €75 x 4 = €300

2012: €75 x 6 = €450

2013: €50 x 12 = €600

2014: €50 x 9 = €450

2015: €50 x 5 = €250

2016: €50 x 5 = €250

2017: €50 x 4 = €200

2018: €50 x 2 = €100

2019: €50 x 6 = €300

2020: €50 x 5 = €250

2021: €50 x 1 = €50

2022: €50 x 1 = €50

2023: €0

PB2018

Wins on 21st April 2023: €0

Last win: 6th January 2023: €50

Weeks since last win: 16

€134k invested in prize bonds since July 2017

Win ratio: 37 wins in 304 weeks (12%)

2017 (Jul-Dec): 5 x €50 = €250

2018 (Jan-Dec): 4 x €50 = €200

2019 (Jan-Dec): 5 x €50 = €250

2020 (Jan-Dec): 10 x €50 = €500

2021 (Jan-Dec): 2 x €50 = €100

2022 (Jan-date): 7 x €50 = €350

2023 (Jan-date): 1 x €50 = €50

pbtracker

I think like a lot of people I'm starting to think about cashing in just not sure where to go with them!

No return now for over 6 months (since Oct 22) on €115K. I guess there is always the hope that the rest of the year will even things out :-) did get €200 over 2022 and €250 in 2021 which is about in line with expectations.

I was really hoping to see some movement on the interest rate in the last few weeks but given it was not included when they adjusted the other long term bond rates I dont expect we will see anything in the near future.

Yillan

I have 2800 in prize bonds as a passing interest and for the purposes of mortgage approval. Judging by the @pbwinner and @PB2018 success rate, it seems my chances of winning every week is ~0.2% (1 in 500). Across a year that improves to about 10%, which is essentially €5 (€50x10%) interest on my €2,800 every year, which is an AER of 0.18%.

This tracks to @PB2018 's return of €450 over two years (2021,2022) (0.18% x 134000 x2 years = €480) and @pbwinner 's return of €100 over two years (0.18% x 25000 x2 years = €90).

So currently the current AER is 0.18% which is extremely low. I know why I'm putting money into prize bonds very temporarily, because I'm not bothered setting up a bank account for small savings and I can withdraw them easily. While they are there, I enter a lotto every week and I like checking every Friday to see if I've won, despite my odds being 1 in 500.

I think it's a really fun way to keep a load of money and I do enjoy that we get to see how large funds fare in prize bonds to get a true reflection of the odds of winning, but unless I had 2% of €134k to burn every year, I wouldn't be anywhere near prize bonds as a long term investment.