Todd Betzold
News writer
Todd is a freelance writer who has always had a love for all things Lottery.
Todd has been creating a variety of content for over 14 years, and his first paid writing job was covering the first season of The Voice! He has always had a love for gambling, whether it was playing poker with his family as a teen or hitting up the casino when he was old enough to get in. Now, he gets to write about it, so even better! Based out of Michigan with his partner and fur baby Luka, Todd enjoys movies, streaming too much Netflix, spending way too much time at the casino, and hoping to be the next billionaire winner of the Powerball or Mega Millions!
- Hometown
- Born in Bay City, Michigan, currently living in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
- Education
- Bachelor's degree in Broadcasting and Journalism from Central Michigan University
- Professional work experience
- Todd has been creating a variety of content for over 15 years, and his first paid writing job was to cover the first season of The Voice!
- Certification and awards
- Google Ad Certification
- Languages
- English
In Todd's own words...
What I like about working for Lottery USA
Todd has always had a love for gambling, whether it was playing poker with his family as a teen or hitting up the casino when he was old enough to get in. With Lottery USA, he gets to write about what he loves to do! In addition, Todd is a true crime lover, so he has been able to work his love for crime into covering news stories involving the lottery.
What most excites and intrigues you about the lottery?
Since joining Lottery USA, I have been able to learn a lot more about the different lottery games offered throughout the country. While I was familiar with my in-state games and the big multistate games, learning about what other states offer is an interesting part of the job.
Best run US state lottery?
I am biased here, but I have to say Michigan. We offer great games and a wide variety, so there is something to play on a daily basis, with some pretty good jackpots available for each one.
What’s your most memorable lottery moment?
I'd say one of my most memorable moments was turning 18 and finally being able to buy lottery tickets myself. Walking up to the counter and buying an instant lottery ticket. Of course, not winning on it, but hey, that would have made an even better memory, huh?
What would you do if you won the Powerball jackpot?
If I were to win the Powerball jackpot, I think I would go into hiding for a while and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I would definitely pay off all my debt. I would give some money to my close friends and family so they can live comfortably. I would then do a lot of traveling, as that is something I have always wanted to do and never been able to do. Where's Todd? Probably on some tropical island, so good luck finding him!
Can you share an interesting fact about yourself?
I used to weigh over 360 pounds! After finally deciding to get my health in order, I lost over 140 pounds. I have successfully been able to maintain that weight loss for the past five years and in October 2024, I ran a half marathon. Needless to say, that race was a little emotional for me, but the hard work and determination paid off for me.
Todd's latest articles
957 articles-
$1.35B lottery winner loses court fight to keep his identity secretHe sued over an alleged NDA breach, but that legal battle could now expose the very secret he wanted protected.
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"Disbelief and shock": $1.04B Powerball winner steps forward in IllinoisThe player chose a lump-sum payout after scoring the state's second-largest lottery prize ever.
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Powerball X's & O's crowns 39,000 winners in its first-ever drawingThe jackpot survived Sunday's debut, while 19 tickets came within just one NFL team logo of taking it home.
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Feeling lucky? Here are the biggest lottery jackpots this weekendTwo national games top $200 million, but don't overlook the state jackpots offering their own huge paydays.
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Lottery retailer tells customer $1,000 winning ticket is worth just $5Officials say the store owner handed over $5, kept the winning ticket, and soon had investigators at his door.
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North Carolina Lottery players get a bigger slice of every dollarPrize payouts have soared in just two years, but that player-friendly shift comes with a major trade-off.
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Record-breaking $29.71M Megabucks jackpot finally has a winnerThe game's historic run finally came to a close Monday when a single ticket matched all six numbers.
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Will lottery drawings still happen on Labor Day? What to knowMonday is a federal holiday, but your favorite lottery game may still have winning numbers on the way.
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Woman admits to lottery scam. Now she has to pay the store backA Texas woman admitted to the fraudulent activity, prompting a judge to order restitution to Casey's.
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Michigan woman faces three lottery fraud charges in South CarolinaAuthorities say the case involves stolen scratch-offs, several locations, and video evidence from a 2025 scheme.
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Lottery raffle season is heating up with $1 million prizes on the wayFrom Kansas to Pennsylvania, raffles are returning with million-dollar prizes and some unusually good odds.
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Mystery $800M Mega Millions winner finally claims massive jackpotThe Florida player chose $344.2 million in cash after buying the lone jackpot-winning ticket at a Wawa.
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A lottery ticket misprint fooled 252 players. Now they're getting paidAfter reviewing the affected tickets, officials have unveiled a compensation plan that goes beyond state law.
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10 surprising lottery facts to celebrate International Lottery DayFrom ancient games to unusual ways jackpots were funded, lottery history gets stranger the deeper you dig.
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Two lottery theft cases, two arrests, and thousands in ticketsOne allegedly targeted her workplace while the other allegedly took tickets from a separate convenience store.
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Michigan Lottery adds a brand-new game to the lineupThe $1 game features five-digit picks, multiple bet types, two daily draws, and a $50,000 top prize. Is it worth a try?
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Former Texas Lottery chief goes on trial over $95M jackpot falloutGary Grief faces a first-degree felony charge after years of questions surrounding a huge 2023 ticket purchase.
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Colorado Lottery hits record as scratch-off ticket sales soarScratch-off games reached a new high as jackpot sales jumped more than 20%, reaching $613 million in FY2026.
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Twist in $473K lottery scam case as charges against one suspect vanishProsecutors say there wasn't enough evidence against her, but her husband still faces several serious charges.
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Couple ignores lottery ticket for 7 weeks — it was worth $3.4 millionThe forgotten entry turned out to be the only jackpot winner, bringing two decades of monthly payments.
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Lottery tickets just turned into $114.3M for Arkansas studentsThe huge scholarship transfer ranks No. 2 in lottery history, but its impact stretches far beyond one big check.
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Ready for kickoff? NFL-themed lottery tickets are hitting storesFans can chase more than cash this season, with team gear, game tickets, and unforgettable experiences up for grabs.
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Who won $1.04B? Illinois store is buzzing over mystery Powerball winnerA 3 a.m. phone call sent the Quincy manager scrambling to see if he'd become an instant billionaire.
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Powerball's billion-dollar run ends with one lucky winnerOver 3 million tickets won prizes on Wednesday, but one Illinois player landed the ultimate payday of $1.04B.
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Mom's trashed £12M lottery ticket gets a stunning second chanceProof of purchase and doorbell footage helped support her case, but there's still one final hurdle ahead.
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Powerball is back in the billion-dollar jackpot clubAfter 43 drawings without a jackpot winner, the grand prize has climbed to $1 billion for the next drawing.
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Will Powerball deliver the first billion-dollar jackpot of 2026?The jackpot has soared to $905M after 42 rollovers, putting the massive milestone within striking distance.
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The case for skipping Powerball and Mega MillionsSmaller jackpots often come with dramatically better odds and more frequent winners.
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North 5 record jackpot finally finds its lucky winnersAfter 23 draws, the Minnesota-only game crowned two record-setting winners before returning to its starting prize amount.
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Husband's secret move blocks wife's lottery prize 14 years laterA forged signature and a gambling ban in Spain left her unable to collect €35,000 as the legal fight continues.
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