There are a multitude of approaches people use when choosing their numbers for the lottery. While many simply opt for the auto-pick options available, others prefer to pick their digits manually with their own selections.

One of the most popular tips for picking lotto numbers is to base them on important dates and milestones in one's life or the lives of those close to them. Here, we're talking about birthdays, anniversaries and other landmark days. For example, someone born on May 8, 2001 might include a series of digits to represent their birthdate - 8 for the day of the month, five to represent the fifth month of the year, one for the century and 20 for the century.

Of course, that would only be four numbers - and most lotteries require five or six to be chosen to complete an entry. For this, the remaining two could be picked at random or, again, premised on another important date or two.

Look to the signs

Those who are into numerology might look to their star signs when entering the lottery. By example, Aries has 1, 9, 18 and 27 as the so-called luckiest days in the month. For Taurus, there's 2, 6, 12 and 26 as the most fortunate dates in the month. And for Virgo's balance, 3, 9, 15, 27 are recommended, according to popular numerology resources.

Play the same numbers again and again … and again

There's also those who might not have a particular preference for their sets of numbers, but are consistent in playing the same numbers. They stick with a certain selection for an extended period. For some, this pays off. For others, they move on if not triumphant.

Many will remember the family from Wexford that eventually won the lottery after using the same numbers for close on two decades. 

"We've been running the same numbers for 18 years, and couldn't believe it when they actually came up. Our numbers are made up of birthdays and special dates that mean something to all of us," said a member of the fortunate family syndicate at the time of their €5.6 million win.

"We must have checked the ticket a hundred times between us. We're looking forward to clearing our mortgages, changing a few cars and going on holiday. We're a really close family and can't wait to celebrate together in style.

"It cost me €100 to fill up the car yesterday - this is going to take huge pressure off us and offer us some peace of mind. As mad as it sounds, I'm really looking forward to buying some really expensive wool and knitting myself a gorgeous jumper. It's a huge hobby of mine."

Blow hot and cold

Another way to go about selecting lottery digits is to centre these around so-called hot and cold numbers. Hot numbers refer to those that have been drawn more frequently than others. Cold numbers refer to those that have not been drawn for quite a while. There is no exact science here, but it could be worth looking into.