
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.
Page 10 - Todd's articles
596 articles-
Sting operation exposes lottery fraud by four gas station employees
Fraudulent $1,000 lottery tickets sent four South Carolina workers to jail after an undercover sting operation.
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Michigan Lottery celebrates a record year with 50 new millionaires
Powerball and Michigan-exclusive draw games teamed up to deliver life-changing prizes in 2024.
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Mega Millions jackpot win is the biggest in California history
Here's everything we know about the lucky Mega Millions winner who won $1.27 billion in California!
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Dreamers vs. strategists: What drives lottery and casino players?
Hope, skill, or pure thrill? Learn what separates a lottery player from a casino player while gaming.
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Mega Millions mania: $1.22B up for grabs in tonight's jackpot
The jackpot streak hits another high as players hope to claim the fifth-largest prize in the game's history.
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Indiana couple finds $1M ticket just hours before deadline
The Powerball-winning ticket was nearly lost forever until a Christmas miracle saved the day.
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Woman robbed at gunpoint in 'Latin Lotto' scam
Deputies tracked the suspects using phone records and GPS data after the dramatic robbery.
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U.S. lags in digital lottery adoption while online sales drive big spending
A new IGT study states that lottery players in the U.S. are spending more on the lottery since going digital.
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Mega Millions jackpot soars to $862M for tonight
Tonight's Mega Millions jackpot comes in as the seventh-largest jackpot in the multi-state draw game's history.
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Lottery on Christmas? Some states say yes, others say ho-ho-hold off
Santa's not the only one working this Christmas — find out which lotteries are keeping the fun going.
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Lottery theft scheme ends with jail time for Wisconsin man
The Wisconsin man's scheme unraveled after understating over $300K in income on his tax returns.
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State fights to keep magnet school lottery criteria under wraps
A court battle brews as Connecticut insists its magnet school lottery details must remain confidential.
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Gas station theft and fraud scheme lead to guilty pleas for Chimayo duo
The women face up to 30 years in prison for a spree targeting lottery tickets and financial institutions.
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Lottery thieves face higher bond than what they stole
After stealing lottery tickets and turning in the winners for $35, the bond for the pair is $7,000 combined.
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South Carolina's Lottery funds could pay for private schools under new bill
Lawmakers aim to expand access to K-12 scholarships, but critics warn it could drain public school resources.
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Gambling crackdown in Georgia leads to nine arrests
Joint efforts by law enforcement officials uncovered illegal cash payouts on gaming machines in Effingham County.
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Four players strike gold, but no Mega Millions jackpot winner
Lucky players in California, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont won big in Friday's Mega Millions drawing.
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Gen Z meets the lottery: Fresh tactics for young players
To captivate Gen Z, lottery officials are banking on AI, video storytelling, and fresh gameplay.
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Supreme Court launches online lottery for public seats
The new online lottery system allows people to skip the line and secure seats to watch proceedings.
Todd Betzold