People using birthday numbers for lotto, could be behind last night's record of forty first division winners.

Each player took home $25,000 from the million dollar draw.

It meant the five second division winners took home more, winning $27,000 each.

Auckland University statistics expert Russell Millar told Larry Williams lots of people put their birthdays down on their ticket.

"The day of the month's got to be no bigger than 31, all these numbers were under 31. The months of the year has to be no bigger than 12, and five of these six numbers are 12 or less."

LISTEN TO RUSSEL MILLER TALK WITH LARRY WILLIAMS ABOVE