Indeed, it's not a bug. It's a "reward" for playing hardcore. Every time you gain a level, there is a chance that a char gets one skillpoint more.
Very cool, thanks for resolving this. Can you be slightly more specific though?
Is it indeed 30% chance per level of getting extra skill point, like previous poster suggests? Is it possible for both characters to get the extra skill point at the same level, or just one or the other? Any other relevant parameters?