Your summary
In a typical year£350
With £10,000 in Premium Bonds, the average return is £435 a year, but most people win less than that. A typical (median) year brings £350, an effective rate of 3.50%. Prizes are tax-free.
5.7 prizes a year on averageAlmost certain to win something
THE COMPLETE PICTURE
Your results in detail
Typical year (median)£350
Unlucky year (1 in 10)£150
Lucky year (1 in 10)£650
Average over many years£435
What we assumed
- Odds
- 21,000 to 1 for each £1 Bond, each month
- Prize fund rate
- 4.35%
- Method
- 4,000 simulated years using the September 2026 prize table
- Bonds held
- All eligible for every draw (new Bonds wait one full month)
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Premium Bonds or a savings account
Compared with 4% interest, after tax at your band.
OptionA year
Premium Bonds, typical year£350
Premium Bonds, average£435
Savings at 4%, after tax£400
Premium Bonds could pay more on average
On average, Premium Bonds return more than £400 after tax. But in a typical year you would get £350, and the chance of beating the average in a given year is 32%.
The prize table
Estimated prizes in each monthly draw.
| Item | Prizes a month |
|---|---|
| £1,000,000 | 2 |
| £100,000 | 95 |
| £50,000 | 192 |
| £25,000 | 382 |
| £10,000 | 954 |
| £5,000 | 1,909 |
| £1,000 | 19,892 |
| £500 | 59,676 |
| £100 | 2,366,135 |
| £50 | 2,366,135 |
| £25 | 1,717,659 |
The average prize is about £76, but almost all prizes are £25, £50 or £100.
Worth knowing
Before you buy.
Your money is safe
Premium Bonds are backed by HM Treasury, so the full amount is protected, not just the first £120,000 like a bank account.
Inflation
If prizes come in below inflation, your money loses buying power, even though you never lose the amount you put in.
Results are simulated and illustrate likely outcomes. Prizes are random. Not financial advice.