Halifax's 'Prize Draw' - Likelihood of winning?

Options
How likely (or unlikely) is it that awards are given out? I can imagine the answer is "Very Unlikely" and quite similarly to Lloyd's "It's on us" where it's quite unlikely, but I'm curious as to whether anybody on MSE has ever been awarded it?

My First Direct regular saver will mature in January, to which should value at just short of £3700. I'm hoping to put aside an extra £1300 to make it up to £5000.

I'm wondering if it's worth putting it aside into another FD savings account (Preferably my Cash ISA at 0.85%) or is it worth putting it away at 0.2% with Halifax at the hopes to win the 'prize draw'?
«1

Comments

  • veryintrigued
    Options
    Diane Abbott reckons you're nailed on to win it three times a month.

    Mark Carney reckons no-one will win it ever.

    I reckon it's between those two somewhere.
  • triplea35
    Options
    Monthly I understand it is around 2000 to 1 chance of winning any prize.

    My wife and I have both been eligible since 2014 and never won anything - until today! £100.
    Still does not make up for the dismal interest over last few years so will probably get out as planned at the end of the month.

    Why limit your choices, Instant access, Marcus at 1.5%, and there are better rates for notice and term accounts. Does it need to be in an ISA?
  • eskbanker
    eskbanker Posts: 31,194 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic First Post
    Options
    Jlawson118 wrote: »
    How likely (or unlikely) is it that awards are given out? I can imagine the answer is "Very Unlikely" and quite similarly to Lloyd's "It's on us" where it's quite unlikely, but I'm curious as to whether anybody on MSE has ever been awarded it?
    Someone else started a thread last year along similar lines, i.e. I don't personally know of any winners so suspect there aren't any, but it was soon established that there are winners: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5662775
    Jlawson118 wrote: »
    I'm wondering if it's worth putting it aside into another FD savings account (Preferably my Cash ISA at 0.85%) or is it worth putting it away at 0.2% with Halifax at the hopes to win the 'prize draw'?
    A respected poster (sadly no longer with us) on the above thread had calculated the impact of the prizes to be worth a notional average of about 0.03% a year over and above the published interest rate, so effectively negligible and should be ignored when trying to work out the best return on a savings pot.
  • Terry98
    Terry98 Posts: 1,155 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Options
    You could start a Halifax Regular Saver for £250 a month. The running balance counts for the Prize Draw.

    My Regular Saver balance is increasing nicely and I have been tempted to make the balance up to £5000 but the .2% put me off and I have decided to keep my money in PB's.
  • Carl31
    Carl31 Posts: 2,616 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post Combo Breaker
    Options
    I was in it for years, never won anything

    Took all my money out and put it into P2P lending, get about 9% return which is much better
  • Xenon
    Xenon Posts: 235 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Options
    Carl31 wrote: »
    I was in it for years, never won anything

    Took all my money out and put it into P2P lending, get about 9% return which is much better

    Exactly the same - got bored and moved my money elsewhere
  • SeeMe
    SeeMe Posts: 343 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary
    Options
    Diane Abbott reckons you're nailed on to win it three times a month.

    Mark Carney reckons no-one will win it ever.

    I reckon it's between those two somewhere.


    That sounds about right.:D
  • Alexland
    Alexland Posts: 9,657 Forumite
    First Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper First Post
    Options
    I wouldn't let it influence your choice of provider. So unlikely to win it's not even worth giving it any brain cycles.
  • Joe_Bloggs
    Joe_Bloggs Posts: 4,535 Forumite
    Options
    I have won £100 on the day a maturing Halifax ISA was transferred that would take me below the qualifying level. This circumstance was accepted in my favor. I needed additional debit card activity to prove that the account was active. I only had one transaction in the acceptable time-frame at a nearby market leading store.

    The investment outlook is in flux so avoid being suckered in by speculative savings rewards with derisory interest rates.

    J_B.
    They do act to 'milk the experience' as if you had won £100.000.
    It was such fun that I managed to postpone to the last week possible of responding to the claim.
  • Jlawson118
    Jlawson118 Posts: 1,132 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Options
    triplea35 wrote: »
    Monthly I understand it is around 2000 to 1 chance of winning any prize.

    My wife and I have both been eligible since 2014 and never won anything - until today! £100.
    Still does not make up for the dismal interest over last few years so will probably get out as planned at the end of the month.

    Why limit your choices, Instant access, Marcus at 1.5%, and there are better rates for notice and term accounts. Does it need to be in an ISA?

    I have (and still am) considering the Marcus account, although I am currently weighing up my opportunities.
    For one, I'm not sure if to reinvest the £3600 into the FD regular saver again for the 5% interest next year. Or try and start a fresh so that it's knocking on for £6k/£7k next year!

    I've just bought a property and will soon be paying a mortgage and bills. I am hoping I can still afford to put aside £250 - £300 per month into something like this with these contributions! :j
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.4K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.8K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.5K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 608.4K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173.2K Life & Family
  • 248.1K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards