€25k invested in prize bonds

Nothing for me either, a blank week for everyone here. Someone in Laois had a bit of good luck.

Prize Value Winning Prize Bond Location

€50.00 BBB101560 Laois

€50.00 BBB102393 Laois

€50.00 BBB106134 Laois

€50.00 BBB106947 Laois

The BBB bonds first appeared in the draw of 29 July. Since then the only other win in Laois was BBB108025 on 09 September. That would put the value of the bonds at a minimum of just over €40K. Assuming €50K, they have already got the average win expected in two years.

Nothing for me this week

Greek bonds ZH701300 ZH772352 each won €50 euro, doing nicely with that batch of ZH series.

nothing again and again and again

Nothing for me either.

October count, the same 18 million bonds BBC to BBT in each of the four draws. All prizes €50, all bonds under 13 weeks.

Friday 07. 112 prizes, highest BBM 12, lowest BBR 2.

Friday 14. 102, BBL 13, BBE 2.

Friday 21. 134 BBS 12, BBD 4.

Friday 28. 120, BBE, BBN, BBO 10 each, BBF 2.

Highest overall BBQ 32 (7,7,9,9). Lowest BBR 18 (2,5,5,6).

72 million bonds won 468 prizes, average per million 6.5. x 52 x €50 = €16900. Divided by 62.5 to get what €100K would win in a year with the same luck = €270.40, nearest to 5 x €50.

Nothing again

Wins on 4th November 2022: €0

Last win: 28th October 2022: €50

Weeks since last win: 1

€134k invested in prize bonds since July 2017

Win ratio: 36 wins in 279 weeks (13%)

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

The Greek ZH bonds, since the last update post #8060 on page 269.

Draws from 13 May to 04 November 2022, 10 prizes all €50.

20 May ZH792426.

17 June ZH781597.

08 July ZH775605.

22 July ZH780668.

05 August ZH766341.

30 September ZH761116.

07 October ZH790314.

21 October ZH776478.

28 October 2x, ZH771300 and ZH772352.

Taking only the bonds from 761116 to 792426 worth €195,687.50, with average luck in 26 draws they would expect to win 5 prizes, so doing very well.

But quoting from the May post "The bonds from ZH759379 to ZH820205 are worth €380,168.75", they would expect to win €475, a toss up between 9 and 10 prizes, so right on average luck track. Unless they have cashed in a whole bunch above ZH792426. We will see if any of them appear in future winners.

They are worth €173,618.75 which would get 4 prizes with average luck. Zero instead of 4, and 10 instead of 5 are two sides of the same random luck coin.

Wins on 11th November 2022: €0

Last win: 28th October 2022: €50

Weeks since last win: 2

€134k invested in prize bonds since July 2017

Win ratio: 36 wins in 280 weeks (13%)

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

Nothing in oct on €170k-9 x €50 in 2022.

Similliar to what i have but I have only invested for 2 years. It's really dreadful return for you.

August and February for the last two changes, but historically it could really be any month. I would not share your confidence about an increase in rates. The banks and the Credit Unions are stuffed full of deposits that nobody wants to borrow. They have all been trying to deter new deposits for years. As have the NTMA. The last thing they need is to attract more deposits by increasing interest rates.

Prize Bonds Notional Interest Rates.

Oct 1999 2.75%.

Jan 2004 2.4%

Sept 2007 3%.

Jan 2012 2.25%

June 2012 1.75%.

Dec 2013 1.6%

Nov 2014 1.25%.

July 2016 0.85%.

Aug 2017 0.5%.

Feb 2021 0.35%.

In an era of higher inflation than recently, there is certainly an argument for getting out of Prize Bonds. But as usual the bigger elephant in the room is being ignored. That all the financial institutions are holding vast amounts of deposits paying little or no interest. Prize Bond holders get lectured for holding about €4.5 billion getting low returns, but everyone else gets a bye. Just Bank of Ireland as an example:

"Bank of Ireland said that customer deposits stood at €96.7 billion at the end of September 2022, €3.9 billion higher compared to December 2021"

We are not in an era of rising deposit rates in Ireland, at least not yet. All that has happened so far is that the banks have gone from negative to zero for their big depositors. And as those BOI figures show, no institution needs to increase their rates to keep getting in the record amounts on deposit. Credits Unions which also hold many multiples of the Prize Bonds figure will probably pay zero again this year, just like that last two years. But that does not stop people piling in more and more money.

As I have outlined above, people can now avail of rising interest rates across an array of European banks in partnership with Raisin. We know the Irish banks are awash with deposits and won't pay us a cent.

As I said I haven't even won €50 this past year on a very large holding of €133,000, it is definitely time for me to get out.

nothing again