Premium Bond winners are informed via a standard letter, and Agent Million is the mysterious pseudonym used to deliver these notifications.
Premium Bonds winners can expect various notifications based on their prize amount, according to National Savings & Investments (NS&I). High-value winners are announced on the first working day of each month and all bondholders can check their winnings the day after. Those lucky enough to claim the £1 million jackpot will be visited by Agent Million.
Notification of Prize Wins
While all winners receive an email notification, it does not include the value of the prize. Winners are encouraged to check the prize amount through the NS&I app, online prize checker, or an Alexa-enabled device.
Customers who win prizes worth between £10,000 and £100,000 are sent a prize claim form via post, asking them to choose their preferred method of payment - either direct bank transfer or reinvestment into more Premium Bonds.
The process for £1 million jackpot winners is unique as they receive a visit from Agent Million. This NS&I employee travels the country to inform the lucky winners. The identities of Agent Millions are kept secret to preserve the winners' privacy. They may tell certain family members or loved ones about their role, but must keep it secret from friends and colleagues.
Meeting Agent Million
Agent Million always visits £1 million Premium Bond jackpot winners in person, except during the pandemic when contact was made through alternative means. If a winner is away during the visit, Agent Million will contact them via an alternative method.
The choice of Agent Million depends on availability, as they also perform other roles within NS&I. There are five Agent Millions in total, ensuring that an experienced colleague is available to guide winners through this life-changing experience.
For security reasons, NS&I does not disclose the process that Agent Million goes through with winners. However, they ensure that the prize money is paid to the correct person.
Winners can choose to have their prize paid into an NS&I Direct Saver or an account of their choice. Since April 2022, they have also been offered the option to seek financial advice from any certified financial planner or chartered financial planner in the UK.
The average holding for a £1 million jackpot winner is £24,421, based on figures calculated in November 2024. Winners can check their Premium Bonds for prizes using NS&I's Premium Bond Prize Checker.
Customers can opt for reinvesting their winnings between £10,000 and £100,000 into more Premium Bonds, viewed as a wise choice for personal-finance management in the realm of bonds. For the$,1million jackpot, winners will be contacted personally by an Agent Million from National Savings & Investments, offering a unique opportunity for savings in the form of direct bank transfer or investment into property or other financial instruments.
