€25k invested in prize bonds

Premium bonds…..

• Have a much lower investment ceiling (GBP 50k vs PB’s EUR 250k per investor)
• For Irish investors carry a currency exchange risk which could very easily wipe out any returns and eat into capital
• Require the investor to have a gbp bank account with a uk bank or building society
• Are linked to an economy that went basket case during truss’s 49 day rein and that is likely to go even further down the toilet when the glorious farage era kicks off

So thanks very much for your concern, but most of the regulars here are well aware of these issues and have made their investment decisions based on their research and the totality of their requirements

Makes zero difference how your holding is composed. The principal repayable for £5 bonds issued before the Euro is €6.35. It is €6.25 for Euro denominated bonds. From the Prize Bonds Regulations:

"Each bond included in a draw shall have a chance of being selected for a prize in proportion to the principal repayable in respect of the bond."

Imagine someone were to buy 100 bonds in one lump sum; Would it be possible/probable that all the bonds would begin with the same two integers? Like AAxxxx of HJxxxx for example.

Not just possible or probable but certain. If you bought 100 bonds next week in one transaction they would be consecutive, e.g. your cert would show 100 units starting BKG222100 and ending BKG222199. The only exception to this is where the first bond is close to the top of the BKG prefix and stretches into BKH, e.g. for 100 bonds you could get a certificate showing BKG999955 to BKH000054.

And if so, would that have any effect on the selection by RNG? If all of ‘my’ bonds contained the letter A, I’d be heavily reliant on a single letter for any or all wins.

It should have no impact on your chances of winning or having multiple wins in a draw, so long as the random number generator is working correctly. Regarding the numbering system, there are four “number” formats

000001 to 999999 the original series first issued in 1957

A000001 to Z999999 which followed the above and kept going up the 80s

AA000001 to ZZ999999 which followed the above and lasted until June 2015

AAA00001 to ZZZ999999 followed the above and has so far got as far as BKFnnnnnn or thereabouts

Not all “numbers” were issued. There were lots of gaps in the earlier sequences where certs were manually issued from pre printed blocks. Some ranges were skipped to avoid the risk of visual confusion e.g. Qnnnnnn was never issued as it could  be confused with Onnnnnn (but oddly QQ range was subsequently issued. @dxhound2005 and I have identified the following gaps: Q, U, AA or AI but there may be others. DK stopped somewhere around DK250000 when the Irish Pound was no more and DL opened immediately for Euro denominated bonds. 

€75 for me today.

The number of €75 prizes in the February draws is 8,712 down from 8,720 in January. The newest bond to win 02 January BJZ988990, newest 06 February BKF994879. Sales of around €31.3 million.

My estimate for sales in January 2025 was €33.4 million. Actual sales January 2024 €35.046 million. That estimate for January 2025 is in post # 9999, page 334, so 700 posts on the thread in the last 12 months.

I think I mentioned previously that I have a first issue bond dated 1st March 1957 in my possession. My grandparents purchased it for my parents as an engagement present. I also have the receipt. Currently in my 95y/o mother's name, with her consent and that of my siblings I intend adding my name to it to keep it alive and in the family ! It hasn't won anything (yet!) but we live in hope.

16:00, 11th February 2026: We wish to inform customers that the Ireland State Savings website will be temporarily offline this evening from 18:00 due to scheduled maintenance. We anticipate full service will be restored by 20:00. If you need assistance or have any queries you can contact us at 0818 20 50 60 / 01 705 7200 (lines open Mon-Fri, 08.00 - 20.00). Thank you for your patience and we apologise for any inconvenience.

2 x €75 for me today, email sent at 13:02. One winner is a reinvestment from December 2012, 2 x €75 that day as well. They are giving me 2 separate €75's this time. Newest bond to win today BKH194123.

There is another Friday 13th next month. The first 28 days in March always match February, except in Leap Years.

Draw Date Winning Bond Number(s) Win Value

13/02/2026 KB354664€75.00

13/02/2026 SI000743€75.00

Date of Issue Prize Bond Range Units Value 

11/12/2012 SI000725 - SI000748 24 €150.00

Date of Issue Prize Bond Range Units Value 

13/02/2026 BKH510840 - BKH510851 12 €75.00 

13/02/2026 BKH508152 - BKH508163 12 €75.00