Most people look at only one thing on a prize bond: the big number. But every element printed on that piece of paper does a job, and misunderstanding one of them is the most common reason a "winning" bond turns out not to be a winner.
The bond number
The prominent number is what draws are conducted on. On the denominations in common circulation it is a six-digit number, from 000001 upward. When a draw is held, the machine produces numbers in this format, and every bond carrying that number — across every series — wins the corresponding prize.
That last point surprises people: a single winning number can belong to many bonds, because the same number exists once in each series. This is exactly why a third prize can have hundreds or thousands of winners in one draw, while the number itself is just one six-digit figure.
The series
Because each number can only exist once within a series, the government issues bonds in multiple series. The series identifies which print run your bond belongs to. For checking results, the series does not matter — the draw is on the number.
This is why the search on this site asks only for digits. You do not need to enter series letters; if your six-digit number appears in the winning list for a draw your bond was eligible for, your bond has won.
The issue date — the part that decides everything
Every bond carries a stamped issue date. A bond is only eligible for draws held after that date. A bond bought this week cannot win a draw that was held last month, even if its number appears in that older list.
People discover this the hard way when they buy bonds from a private seller, search the archive of past results, and find a match in an old draw. The number matches; the eligibility does not. Before celebrating any match in a historical draw, compare the draw date with the issue date stamped on your own bond.
Leading zeros and short numbers
Bond numbers are six digits, which means numbers like 4,271 are actually printed as 004271. When you write your numbers down, keep the leading zeros. Searches on this site pad short numbers automatically, but if you are comparing by eye against a printed list, a dropped zero will make you miss your own number.
Reading a result list correctly
A published draw list is organised by prize position:
- First prize — usually a single number.
- Second prize — a small set of numbers.
- Third prize — a long list, often several hundred or several thousand numbers.
All three blocks are separate. Your number must appear in one of them for that specific draw. Every draw page on this site shows the three blocks in full, with a search box that highlights your number if it is present.
The one-minute habit
Write your numbers once, with leading zeros and issue dates, and check them against each new draw for that denomination. If you would rather not do it manually, save them in a wallet account here and every new list is checked against your numbers automatically — including a back-check against older draws that are still within the six-year claim window.