Millions of savers across the UK are awaiting the results of the December Premium Bonds prize draw, with two lucky holders set to become millionaires. The government-backed National Savings and Investments (NS&I) scheme will conduct its monthly random prize allocation on Tuesday 2 December 2025.
What Are Premium Bonds and How Do They Work?
Premium Bonds represent a unique savings product where your money is entered into a monthly prize draw instead of earning traditional interest. Each £1 bond has a 22,000-to-one chance of winning a prize each month, with the total fund now standing at over £127 billion from more than 24 million participants.
Investments range from a minimum of £25 to a maximum holding of £50,000. The prizes are selected by a random number generator known as 'Ernie' – the Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment. This month's draw will create two new millionaires, alongside hundreds of thousands of other cash awards.
Understanding Your Chances of Winning
While the scheme is entirely risk-free, meaning your initial investment is protected, the probability of winning remains low for most individuals. Financial analyst Martin Lewis has calculated that the effective 'interest rate' for Premium Bonds, when averaging all winnings, is approximately 4 per cent. He cautions, however, that the majority of savers will not see returns close to this figure, as many standard savings accounts currently offer higher and more consistent rates.
The prize fund distribution varies slightly each month. The January 2025 breakdown provides a clear illustration of the scale of awards:
- £1 million x 2
- £100,000 x 82
- £50,000 x 163
- £25,000 x 328
- £10,000 x 818
- £5,000 x 1,636
- £1,000 x 17,163
- £500 x 51,489
- £100 x 1,987,844
- £50 x 1,987,844
- £25 x 1,803,871
How to Check If You Are a December Winner
The results of the 2 December draw will be made available by NS&I from Wednesday 3 December. Bond holders have several convenient options to check their numbers.
You can visit the official NS&I prize checker on its website and enter your unique bond holder's number. For those preferring mobile access, the NS&I app allows you to check results securely while on the move. Winners are typically notified by email or post if they have registered these details with NS&I.
With billions held in Premium Bonds and millions of prizes awarded annually, the monthly draw continues to be a popular, if speculative, pillar of British saving culture.
