Even though Todd Hoffman is arguably the biggest star of Gold Rush, very little is known about the miner and his life. Ever since the first season of Discovery’s hit reality television series, Hoffman has been the main figure. Although he has now left the show, he was a constant presence for many seasons, with millions tuning in every week to see his struggles as he attempted to extract gold from dirt all across the Americas.

Fans have seen Hoffman go from a dreamer who wanted to make it big as a gold mine to a millionaire. Yet, despite this massive focus on his life and career, most fans know surprisingly little about Todd Hoffman.

15 The Cast Aren't The Rule Breakers They're Made Out To Be

film crew of gold rush
via tripadvisor.com

Anyone watching Gold Rush might think that the Alaskan area is some kind of wilderness where there are no rules. Todd Hoffman often acts like he can do anything he wants on the show. The truth, though, is that every action is heavily regulated and that there are often officials standing by to ensure the miners follow all of the rules.

14 Todd Was Paid Up To $25,000 An Episode

Todd Hoffman from Gold Rush.
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Appearing on Gold Rush didn’t just provide Todd Hoffman with a newfound level of fame. It also made his bank balance look healthier. According to reports, he received anywhere between $200,000 to $400,000 a season. This means he was paid in the region of $25,000 an episode.

13 Todd Hoffman Is A Millionaire

Todd Hoffman looking sad.
via outdoorrealityshows.com

Judging by the way in which Todd Hoffman seems to struggle to ends meet a lot of the time on Gold Rush, many fans might think he isn’t that well off. But his salary for appearing on the show combined with his gold earnings has made him a millionaire. In fact, his net worth is estimated to be $8 million.

12 Some Of Their Actions Are Scripted

The reality television show Gold Rush
via greeningz.com

Some of the things that Todd Hoffman and others have done while on-screen may actually be scripted. At least according to both Jimmy Dorsey and James Harness, two men who worked extensively with Todd Hoffman in the early seasons of Gold Rush. Both claimed that producers either manipulated events or prompted Hoffman to take the actions he did.

11 Hoffman And Company Are Family Men

Todd Hoffman working on Gold Rush
via oregonlive.com

Viewers will probably not have seen much of Todd Hoffman outside of his usual television appearances. He has not been involved in any scandals and his personal life is quite private. That’s because he is a family-oriented man who tries to keep his loved ones safe and out of the limelight as much as possible.

10 Many Of Their Scenes Are Reshot

Toff Hoffman of Gold Rush
via oregonlive.com

Often the producers on Gold Rush have to get Todd Hoffman and the other miners to restage scenes. This is because they suddenly change plans or make new arrangements when off-camera. It means that viewers don’t have any idea what is going on, otherwise. The crew, therefore, got the likes of Hoffman to reshoot what he had said, but now on camera.

9 Todd Works With A Substance Treatment Center

Todd Hoffman at the SOber Living facility in Oregon.
via soberlivingc.com

One of the things that Todd Hoffman has invested heavily in is the Sober Living Facility in Oregon. It helps those with addictions turn their lives around and start over. Hoffman operates as the marketing manager and has invested his own funds into the project.

8 Hoffman Is A Big Basketball Fan

Todd Hoffman at his home.
via tvshowsace.com

The way in which Gold Rush is filmed, only showing the footage essential to actual gold mining, means that you rarely get to see what hobbies or interests any of the cast have. Outside of the show, Todd Hoffman is a big fan of basketball. You can get a few hints at this from the basketball jerseys he sometimes wears during filming.

7 The Reality TV Star Loves His Cars

Todd Hoffman promoting Gold Rush.
via hollywoodreporter.com

Another hobby of Todd Hoffman’s is collecting cars. He loves classic vehicles and has built up a significant collection over the last few years, including cars such as a 1949 Chevy and a 2017 Ram 2500. His love of cars is such that he even signed a deal to produce a car show with Pluto.

Related: 15 Little-Known Facts About Discovery Channel's Gold Rush

6 Taking Care Of His Beard Is A Tough Job For Todd

Todd Hoffman showing off his beard after Gold Rush.
via shareably.net

Fans of Gold Rush will instantly recognize Todd Hoffman thanks to his long beard. Over the course of eight seasons, his facial hair grew significantly and is now a full & long beard. He has to condition it and use coconut oil to moisturize it every day to ensure it doesn’t become greasy or dirty.

5 Hoffman Left Gold Rush For A Singing Career

Todd Hoffman singing for his music career.
via youtube.com

When Todd Hoffman left Gold Rush after season 8, many fans were left wondering about what he would do next. According to the star himself, he wanted to pursue a career as a singer. After uploading a number of cover songs online, he has released music on digital platforms such as Spotify.

Related: Gold Rush: 15 Surprising Ways Todd Hoffman Spends His $7 Million Net Worth

4 The Star Also Set Up His Own Production Company

Todd Hoffman with some of his Gold Rush machiner.
via motorstrend.com7

After spending almost a decade in front of the camera for Gold Rush, Todd Hoffman also left because he wanted to focus more on the production side of things. Speaking at the time, he said that he had learned a few things about making good television and wanted to focus on his own production company, ZUM Media.

3 He Spends Time With His Kids And Does Jobs Around The House During Offseason

Todd Hoffman and his son Hunter
via tvshowsace.com

Gold mining is a very seasonal job, with the crews only able to mine in Alaska for around five months a year. During the offseason when he isn’t busy, Todd Hoffman likes to spend as much time with his kids as possible, going on trips to places like Disneyland. His wife also gets him to do the odd jobs around the house that build up while he is away.

Related: 15 Things Even The Biggest Gold Rush Fans Don't Know About The Show

2 He Is Developing Multiple Television And Film Projects

Todd Hoffman on Gold Rush.
via blastingnews.com

His experience working on Gold Rush has left Todd Hoffman in a position where he feels like he can work on different projects. According to the star himself, he has deals signed with a number of studios about producing television and film content over the next few years.

1 He Recently Announced He Would Be Returning To Gold Mining, Possibly With His Old Crew

Todd Hoffman on Gol RUsh with a nugget of gold.
via oregonlove.com

A surprise social media post on Twitter in March 2020 revealed that Todd Hoffman would be returning to gold mining this year. The star revealed he had bought equipment and would go back to Alaska where he has been most successful. It won’t be shown on Discovery’s Gold Rush though and will attempt to show the true financial cost of mining gold.

Next: 15 Things We Just Learned About Gold Rush's Parker Schnabel