Scotland dominates the premium bond prize league

Lady Luck favours the Scots according to the latest Premium Bond Prize League, with Glasgow emerging as the UK's luckiest postcode for winning top Premium Bond prizes in 2006/07 - and Kirkcaldy a close second. Edinburgh has also entered the top 10 in ninth place, making it a hat trick for the Scots. Last year, the City of London topped the league of Premium Bond luckiest places. This is the fifth year NS&I, who runs Premium Bonds, conducted the study based on the top 120 postcodes in the UK.

This shift of luck northwards is continued through the top five luckiest spots, with Warrington and Hull shooting up the league to take third and fourth place respectively. Belfast completes the top five and is the only place to maintain its top 10 slot.

Across the UK, 23 million people own Premium Bonds worth over £35 billion. Eligible Bonds are entered into each monthly draw which pays out 1.4 million prizes worth £103 million from £50 to the two £1 million jackpots.

Luck changed noticeably for many of the top 10 areas in 2006/07 with most entries previously adrift in mid-table positions. Lancaster has seen the biggest reversal of fortunes rising 110 places from 118th to eighth in just 12 months. Last year's luckiest postcode, the City of London, has dropped out of the top 120 postcodes league as holdings have increased in other areas at a faster pace.

Unluckiest towns 2006/07

Despite being known for its prosperous residents, the last year has been a lean one for the Isle of Man. It has become the unluckiest town, taking the title from Leicester (now at 17th place) the previous year. However, Guernsey has fallen the most slipping from second place last year to 111th in 2006/07. Although Lincoln remains in the bottom four, sinking to 119 this year, its residents should take comfort in the huge rises seen by Lancaster and Ilford which shows luck does change.

Sally Swait, Premium Bonds manager at NS&I commented: "Every Premium Bond has an equal chance of winning a prize, however Scottish postcodes have been particularly successful this year. Both Glasgow and Kirkcaldy were languishing in the bottom end of the league in 2005/06 but have seen their fortunes rise to the very top of the table, winning the highest proportion of top prizes this year.

"This along with the fact that only Belfast maintained a top 10 position over the last two years goes to show that even though you might not have been lucky in the past year, the jackpot could still be yours in the months to come! Also with more prizes to be won in June's bumper draw, places like the Isle of Man may see a reversal of fortune. June could be their lucky month!"

Extra chances to win

June's Premium Bond draw is predicted to be the biggest yet with a prize fund worth £110 million, including five £1 million jackpots rather than the usual two. With a total of 1.4 million prizes there is even more chance for Premium Bond customers to get lucky.

This draw is the last of two anniversary draws which celebrate 50 years of Premium Bonds. NS&I also paid out five £1 million jackpots in December 2006 to mark 50 years since the introduction of Premium Bonds. June 2007 marks 50 years since the first draw.

For customers to have the chance of taking part in this exciting draws, they must have bought their Premium Bonds before 30 April 2007.