
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 6 - Todd's articles
595 articles-
Dropped lottery tickets help bust felon in stolen motorcycle, gun heist
The Minnesota man stole a motorcycle and drove to Iowa, where he dropped lottery tickets during a break-in.
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California wants lottery lawsuit tossed over missing $197M ticket
The state says a missing ticket means no payout as it pushes to dismiss a man's Mega Millions lawsuit.
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Unclaimed $25K a year-for-life winning ticket nears deadline
A Michigan lottery player has just one month left to step forward and claim a prize that could pay for life.
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Detroit seniors scammed at church in fake lottery prize scheme
Con artists promised big wins but demanded gift cards — one woman lost $3,000.
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French lottery thieves win big — but can't cash in without coming clean
They stole his card and bought a €500K winner — but the jackpot is in limbo, and the rightful owner wants a cut.
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West Virginia Lottery's iPlay expands with daily draw games
With Daily 3, Daily 4, and Cash 25 now online, lottery fans can play and earn rewards from anywhere.
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Store clerk busted for sneaky scratch-off scam
Prosecutors say the employee scratched off tickets while at work, then slipped the losers back into the stack.
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New York woman busted in $1M fake lottery scheme
Authorities say the suspect lured an elderly victim into paying bogus fees to claim a fake lottery prize.
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Texas Lt. Gov. probes lottery courier after $83.5M jackpot win
A North Austin store keeps selling jackpot-winning tickets, and now state officials want answers about its luck.
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Virginia lottery winners may soon get a say in staying anonymous
The bill, now on the governor's desk, sailed through the House and Senate with overwhelming support.
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2-4-6-8, who do we appreciate? Georgia Cash 4 players winning $1.33M
Plenty of Georgia lottery players saw their numbers line up just right, cashing in big on a perfectly even Cash 4 draw.
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Why some lottery winners keep their jackpot a secret — even from family
The thrill of winning millions comes with an unexpected challenge — deciding who should know about it.
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Store employee accused of stealing lottery tickets while working
A store audit raised the alarm, and video evidence helped police and state lottery officials connect the dots.
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South Dakota lawmakers vote to increase lottery age
A proposal to raise the lottery age to 21 moves forward, and businesses may get more video lottery machines.
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Tennessee Lottery players to see high-tech upgrades in IGT contract deal
New terminals, enhanced reporting, and faster ticket-checking are on the way with the IGT contract extension.
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Repeat burglar busted trying to cash stolen lottery ticket
Police say the suspect, linked to multiple rooftop heists, always targeted scratch-offs and cigarettes.
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Michigan trio's lottery scam hits a dead end in South Dakota
The suspects tried their luck with fake payments, but store employees weren't fooled, and arrests soon followed.
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Shaq talks NBA, Newark pride & giving back in New Jersey Lottery collab
Shaq reflects on his journey from Newark to NBA stardom and his latest way of supporting his home state.
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New Jersey lawmakers look to shift more lottery cash into pension fund
A new bill could reduce education's lottery funding, but only if ticket sales hit key revenue goals.
Todd Betzold