Savings accounts that give you the chance to win prizes

If you’re lucky enough to have a little money to invest, why not put it in a savings account that gives you the chance to win prizes? There are lots of opportunities to win cash or gift cards in monthly prize draws. I’ll keep this blog post updated with the latest news on accounts that give you the chance to win!

Several readers have asked about the fantastic Post Office Savings Prize Draw – but I’ve not heard anything about this returning, unfortunately. I’ll let you know if I do!

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Chip Prize Savings Account

Use the Chip Prize Savings Account to save, and you’ll get a chance to win prizes instead of receiving interest, with a top prize of £10,000 per month, plus 1,300 smaller cash prizes. All money you deposit with Chip is held by the UK authorised ClearBank, and is eligible for the FCSC (Financial Services Compensation Scheme). Full details on the Prize Savings Account are here.

• Interest rate: n/a
• Requirements: You must be a UK resident aged 18 or over, and have at least £100 in your Prize Savings Account on the last day of the month. For each £10 in your account you will receive one prize draw entry. 
• Prizes: 1 x £10,000, 50 x £100, 500 x £25, 750 x £10 – you can win multiple prizes in the same draw.
• How to open account: Download the Chip app for Apple devices
• Deadline to open account: to qualify for the monthly prize draw, you will need to open the account and pay in at least £100 by the end of the month – then just ensure you have at least £100 in the account to qualify for future monthly draws
• How are winners contacted: Winners will be emailed, but it’s not stated how long after each monthly prize draw closes this will be. 
• Restrictions: There is a limit of 8,500 entries per month (equivalent to £85,000), and a limit of one Prize Savings Account per customer.

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Everup

Everup is a unique alternative to putting your savings into a bank or building society account. Transfer cash to Everup, and you’ll earn ‘coins’ dependent on how much you’ve deposited. Use these coins to play games and enter raffles and draws on the Everup app to win cash and other (mainly tech) prizes. Note that EverUp is NOT a bank, so your money is not protected by the FSCS scheme. Find out more here.

• Requirements: you can win prizes without depositing any money – but holding savings in your Everup account earns you bonus coins, the amount increases dependent on how much you have in your account.
• Prizes: range from coins to cash prizes as high as £1,000,000 depending on which game you play (your options are Million Lotto, scratchers and minigames)
• How to open account: Download the app here (*my referral link – use my code RDIC1681126WJTKW to get a cash bonus) and verify your email and phone number. The app will validate your ID before you can open your cash account. To top up your cash account, you’ll just need to make a BACS transfer to the Everup account using your usual banking app.
• Restrictions: Everup is available to England, Wales or Scotland residents, age 18+

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Nationwide Start to Save 2

Nationwide Start To Save prize draws are back, which offer a great chance of a prize (odds are between 1 in 34 and 1 in 67 depending on how much is in the prize fund). Find all the details at www.nationwide.co.uk/savings/start-to-save – you can open a Start to Save issue 2 account, even if you already have a Start to Save account!

• Requirements: You must open a Start to Save 2 account with Nationwide.
• Interest rate: 2.50% AER/gross a year (variable)
• Prizes: Each winner will receive £250. The number of winners will depend on how many £250 prizes can be made up from the prize fund for each prize draw.
• How to open account: at nationwide.co.uk, or on the Nationwide app
• How to enter: To be entered into a prize draw, you’ll need to increase your account balance by at least £25 (but by no more than £50) in each of the six calendar months leading up to the month of the prize draw. For example, to qualify for the prize draw on 21 February 2023, the total balance in your account needs to increase by at least £25 in August, September, October, November, December and January
• Deadline to open account: Open your account by the end of August 2023 to qualify for the final draw in February 2024. 
• When are winners contacted: Prize draws will take place on 21 February 2023, 22 August 2023 and 20 February 2024. Winners will be informed by email or post and the £250 will be paid into the winner’s account within 30 days of the draw
• Restrictions: Open to UK residents, age 16+

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Halifax Savers

The Halifax Savers promotion has been ongoing for several years, and every month 1,603 savers win cash prizes. To qualify, you must have £5,000 in any combination of savings accounts with the Halifax (this also includes most Bank of Scotland accounts). Full details on the Halifax Savers prize draw are here.

• Requirements: Hold £5,000 or more in any qualifying Halifax savings accounts for a whole calendar month to be entered into the next month’s prize draw.
• Prizes: 3 winners every month will receive £100,000, 100 will win £1,000 and 1,500 will win £100.
• How to open account: online, in a Halifax branch, or on the Halifax app
• How to enter: Opt in to the prize draws by registering through the Halifax app, Online Banking, Mobile Banking, or by visiting your local branch – you only need to register once, then you will be included in every draw as long as you have £5,000 in savings.
• When are winners contacted: Halifax will write to winners within a month of each prize draw.
• Restrictions: Open to England, Wales or Scotland residents, age 18+

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Prize Saver

Prize Saver is an HM Treasury pilot scheme to incentivise people to save with credit unions. The Treasury have ended their involvement with the scheme – however, the participating Credit Unions have agreed to continue the prize draws. Top prize winner each month receives £5,000, plus there are twenty runner-up prizes. Terms & conditions also state that there may be bonus prize draws. Full details are at prizesaver.co.uk  but check your local CU for the latest update (a link to the East Sussex T&Cs is here).

• Interest rate: most credit unions do not pay any interest, but pay out an annual dividend to savers
• Requirements: Save at least £1 in a savings account. Every £1 in your account at the end of each month gives you one automatic entry into the following month’s prize draw – up to a maximum of 200 entries a month
• Prizes: Monthly prizes are 1 x £5,000, 10 x £50 and 10 x £20
• How to open account: Join your local Credit Union by clicking on the relevant link from the list at prizesaver.co.uk, then open an account via your local Credit Union website.
• How to enter: If you have at least £1 in savings, you are automatically entered into the monthly draw
• Deadline to open account: unknown
• When are winners contacted: Draws take place mid-month, and winners are contacted within 21 days.
• Restrictions: Open to England, Wales or Scotland residents, age 18+

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NS&I Premium Bonds

NS&I Premium Bonds have been around since 1956, and are an alternative to a savings account. Instead of paying interest, they offer a 24,000 to 1 chance of winning a prize for every £1 bond you hold (it’s now the equivalent of 3% interest rate). Check out the prize allocation stats here. You can invest between £25 and £50,000.

Ever wondered what ERNIE stands for? It means Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment – powered by quantum technology, ERNIE 5 chooses the random winners each month! Full details on the NS&I Premium Bonds are here.

• Prizes: NS&I pay out over three million tax-free prizes every month, ranging from £25 to £1 million.
• When are winners contacted: Winners of monthly draws are notified by email or text message. You can also check online at www.nsandi.com/prize-checker or on the NS&I app, to see if you’ve won. Prizes less than £5,000 are paid into your nominated bank account – for larger prizes you will be asked to complete a form.
• How to open account: online, by phone or by post
• Restrictions: Anyone age 16+ can hold Premium Bonds. Bonds in a child’s name are looked after by a parent or guardian.

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If you do decide to open a new savings account, make sure to keep the details somewhere safe and to let your loved ones know. I have a spreadsheet with details of all my investments, and have given my husband access to it… just in case!