Press Release

NS&I UNVEILS NEW ERNIE SIMULATOR TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PREMIUM BOND DRAW

31 July 2006

·        Venue for outside broadcasts, interviews and photo opportunities

·        NS&I celebrates 50 years of Premium Bonds on 1 November

An ERNIE simulator has been created by National Savings and Investments (NS&I), housed in a new state-of-the-art-media centre in Blackpool. 

ERNIE, (Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment), is central to the whole concept of Premium Bonds as 'he' generates the winning numbers. Each month 23 million people place their trust in the integrity of the machine to produce Premium Bond numbers randomly.

Due to security reasons the real ERNIE, which is the fourth machine of its kind, has to be kept under lock and key. However, the simulator has been designed to reveal the secrets of how the famous Premium Bonds draw works in the run up to the 50th anniversary of Premium Bonds. 

The media centre is available as a venue for outside broadcasts, interviews and photo opportunities.

WHEN:       Available from July
WHERE:     National Savings and Investments

Mythop Road

Blackpool

PREMIUM BONDS
Since 1956, Premium Bonds have become increasingly popular with households all over the UK and there is currently £32 billion invested. In 2006, ERNIE will give away approximately £900 million in prizes from £50 to £1 million to lucky winners all over the UK. 

Over the years, a number of myths about the Premium Bond prize draw have sprung up, from people believing the numbers are chosen by throwing darts at a dartboard to the view only high value Bonds or those bought in Surrey win prizes!

ERNIE 4 is the smallest and fastest ERNIE ever designed and uses thermal noise to generate the random numbers used for each draw. 

MEDIA MATERIALS AVAILABLE: 
·         Beta footage of the ERNIE simulator and shots of a demonstration draw.

·         Archive footage of all ERNIEs and draws since 1956.

·         Still images of previous ERNIEs and photographs of ERNIE 4. 

·         Press releases and backgrounders. 

·         The engineers who developed ERNIE and Agent Million who operates the machine are also available for interview.

KEY FACTS AND STATISTICS:
·         Over the last 50 years, four generations of ERNIE have produced the numbers for over 140 million tax-free* prizes worth £9 billion.  Since 1994, he has created 160 millionaires.

·         If ERNIE 1 was still being used today, he would take 52 days to compute a draw, compared to the 2 ½ hours it takes ERNIE 4.

·         ERNIE 1 took up 24 sq ft of floor space, whereas ERNIE 4 only takes up 0.01 sq ft.

·         ERNIE 2 was designed to look like one of the sets from the Bond film 'Goldfinger'.

·         ERNIE 3 was 165 times faster than the first model.  ERNIE 4 is faster still, generating numbers at a rate of over 1 million an hour.

·         ERNIE has received birthday cards, Christmas cards, Valentine 's Day cards, and even Epson salts, castor oil and holy water.