Mitchell Halverson

Mitchell Halverson, who plays online under the name "franzia," began his poker journey primarily on digital platforms. Prior to his breakout bracelet win, he had accumulated 33 WSOP-related cashes totaling $69,365 according to WSOP.com. These included seven cashes in gold bracelet events during the summer of 2021, with his deepest previous live run being 29th in Event #14: $500 No-Limit Hold'em. Hailing from Oregon, Halverson had live tournament earnings of $112,206 according to The Hendon Mob at that time, a figure that would grow significantly in subsequent years.

The defining moment of Halverson's early career came on July 30, 2021, when he captured his first World Series of Poker gold bracelet in Event #30: $600 NLH 6-Max Championship on WSOP.com. The tournament attracted 523 players who rebought 260 times, creating a 783-entry field and a $422,820 prize pool. After more than ten hours of play, Halverson defeated Joshua "Kenjiboi7" Faris heads-up to claim the $84,057 top prize.

During the final table, Halverson made several key plays. He eliminated two-time bracelet winner Nipun "javatini" Java in fourth place when his pocket tens held against Java's ace-deuce suited, with a ten on the turn sealing the hand. Later, Anthony "Nowb3Athat" Spinella fell in third after being coolered, and Halverson eventually overcame Faris's 3:2 chip lead to win. The final hand saw Faris all-in with top pair of aces and queen kicker, only to lose to Halverson's two pair nines and eights. Notable players who finished in the money included Ryan "protential" Laplante (8th), Tony "Panoramic" Dunst (9th), Kristen "krissyb24" Bicknell (15th), Mike "Mouth123" Matusow (22nd), and Landon "ActionDealer" Tice (38th).

Halverson's live tournament results reached new heights in 2025 during the Poker Masters series at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas. He cashed in multiple events and finished fifth overall on the leaderboard, earning $329,800 in PGT winnings and 330 points. His standout performance came in the $1,000,000 Showcase Event where he finished runner-up to David Coleman for $270,000. He also placed second in Event #2: $5,100 No-Limit Hold'em, earning $157,000 after losing heads-up to Mike Zulker. These results demonstrated Halverson's ability to compete against the world's best in high-stakes tournaments, with the Poker Masters champion David Coleman going on to earn the Purple Jacket while Halverson solidified his position among the elite.

Halverson is known for his solid fundamentals and disciplined approach, combining a strong understanding of post-flop play with the ability to apply pressure when necessary. His heads-up victory at the 2021 WSOP Online showcased his adaptability, as he overcame a chip deficit by winning key races and making well-timed bluffs. In live settings, he has proven himself a versatile player capable of deep runs in both small and large fields. With over $2.6 million in lifetime earnings, Halverson continues to build a reputation as a consistent threat in major tournaments, though he maintains a relatively low public profile, focusing on results rather than social media attention.

The full payout structure for the top six finishers:

In addition, several notable players finished in the money, including Ryan "protential" Laplante (8th - $7,611), Tony "Panoramic" Dunst (9th - $5,835), Jesse "MrJesseJames" Sylvia (11th - $4,524), Kristen "krissyb24" Bicknell (15th - $3,594), Bryan "Pellepelle" Piccioli (18th - $2,875), Mike "Mouth123" Matusow (22nd - $2,368), Landon "ActionDealer" Tice (38th - $1,649), Carlos "carloswelch" Welch (44th - $1,649), and David "dwpoker" Williams (60th - $1,226).

The 2025 Poker Masters featured ten no-limit hold'em events, with Halverson finishing runner-up in two of them. The full event results:

Halverson's two second-place finishes earned him a total of $427,000 in those events, contributing to his overall series winnings of $329,800 and 330 PGT points, which placed him fifth on the final leaderboard.