The Prize Bond Company reported sales of £55 million (€69.8 million) in 2000, the second highest in the history of prize bonds, the firm said yesterday. The value of the taxfree prizes won rose by 9 per cent to £5.96 million in 2000, and the fund size grew by £22 million to £234 million in 2000. The number of prizes increased by 37.5 per cent to 44,310 as a result of the new prize structure.

Last November, a revamped scheme was introduced, increasing the number of weekly prizes, the value of the prize fund and the chances of winning.