Player of the Series Malta 2025
The Festival Series isn’t just about individual tournaments — it’s about the bigger picture. Yes, every event crowns its own champion, but the Player of the Series race is where the real story is being told. This leaderboard rewards consistency, stamina, and passion for the game. It’s for the players who don’t just shine once but manage to perform across multiple events, pushing themselves day after day.
There’s one day left of The Festival in Malta and the race for the Player of the Series title is still in the balance. On Saturday four events that count towards it were completed, however full results of the sportsbook and slots competitions have not yet been processed. The 10-game and Bomb Pot tournaments have now been included and there is no change in the top two, with Martin “Franke” von Zweigbergk maintaining his nine point lead over Ville Hakala.
Franke and Ville played both played in each of the poker events on Saturday, but neither managed to make the money. Franke now has 153 points to Ville’s 144 and they are well clear of third placed Benjamin Sweetman on 118 points and 4th placed Barrie Dear on 117.
Kare Hallamaa remains in 5th place on 100 points, while fellow Finn Ville-Matti Keranen moves up to 6th on 91 points. He won the 10-game event, in which Sweetman finished 3rd. None of the players in the money in the Bomb Pot tournament feature in the top 25 on the leaderboard.
Player of the Series Top 25
| Position | Player | Points | Events Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Martin "Franke" von Zweigbergk | 153 | 13 |
| 2 | Ville Hakala | 144 | 12 |
| 3 | Benjamin Sweetman | 118 | 7 |
| 4 | Barrie Dear | 117 | 12 |
| 5 | Kare Hallamaa | 100 | 9 |
| 6 | Ville-Matti Keränen | 91 | 9 |
| 7 | Peder Behr | 88 | 6 |
| 8 | Frank Visser | 83 | 10 |
| 9 | Fabian Bartuschk | 81 | 4 |
| 9 | Martin Schamaun | 81 | 4 |
| 11 | Eva Jiretorn | 80 | 8 |
| 11 | Lars Johansson | 80 | 7 |
| 11 | Yurii Rassamakin | 80 | 9 |
| 14 | Jose Gomez Casillas | 79 | 5 |
| 15 | Karl Gialanze | 77 | 4 |
| 16 | Benedict Kaiser | 76 | 7 |
| 16 | Scott Kenyon | 76 | 10 |
| 16 | Wouter Schuurbiers | 76 | 8 |
| 19 | Yann De Tychey | 71 | 9 |
| 20 | Egi Adriaans | 68 | 4 |
| 21 | Glenn Hasselberg | 66 | 9 |
| 21 | Mika Hautakangas | 66 | 8 |
| 21 | Simeon Tsonev | 66 | 4 |
| 24 | Quinten Spyckerelle | 65 | 4 |
| 25 | Herli Olop | 60 | 8 |
In addition to the sportsbook and slots tournaments, there are three further tournaments concluding on Sunday that count towards the leaderboard:
- The Main Event
- The Mystery Bounty
- The Open Face Chinese High Roller
The Main Event and the Mystery Bounty have no players left that can usurp either of the top two on the leaderboard, so the destination of the Player of the Series award will likely be decided in the Open Face Chinese High Roller. Will Franke cling on for glory, or will Ville overtake him on the final straight as they race towards the finish line?
Follow the action throughout the day on the live blog and on The Festival’s social channels.
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Over the years, this title has become one of the most prestigious honours at The Festival. Some players have even managed to win it more than once — proving it’s not about luck, but about showing up, battling hard, and delivering results across the board. Every cash matters. Every deep run matters. And every point you collect brings you closer to that coveted title of being the best of them all.
How the Ranking Works
Every player is automatically included in the race when they enter a qualifying tournament. The only condition: the buy-in must be €100 / £100 or more. Certain events don’t count (Ladies Events, sponsored or private tournaments, charity tournaments, satellites, and staff events).
There are three ingredients which calculate the total amount of points you receive per event:
Base Points
Everyone who finishes in the money receives points based on their final position:
| Position | Points |
|---|---|
| 1 | 25.0 |
| 2 | 20.0 |
| 3 | 18.0 |
| 4 | 16.0 |
| 5 | 15.0 |
| 6 | 14.0 |
| 7 | 13.0 |
| 8 | 12.0 |
| 9 | 11.0 |
| 10 | 10.0 |
| 11 | 9.0 |
| 12 | 8.0 |
| 13 | 7.0 |
| 14 | 6.0 |
| 15 | 5.0 |
| 16 | 4.0 |
| 17 | 3.0 |
| All remaining ITM | 2.0 |
Field Size Multiplier
The larger the field, the bigger the boost:
| Entries | Factor |
|---|---|
| 1–49 | ×1 |
| 50–249 | ×1.5 |
| 250–499 | ×2 |
| 500–999 | ×2.5 |
| 1000+ | ×3 |
Participation Points
On top of that, you also earn points just for taking part:
| Buy-in Range | Points |
|---|---|
| €100–€200 | 1.25 |
| €201–€549 | 2.50 |
| €550+ | 11.00 |
This system rewards both performance and commitment. If you put in the volume and back it up with results, you’ll find yourself climbing the leaderboard.
What’s at Stake
The Player of the Series winner receives a €1,600 package for the next Festival Series stop — including entry and hospitality. It’s the perfect setup to continue the journey and maybe even defend the title.
The prize is locked to the winner: it can’t be sold or transferred, and if the winner can’t attend the next stop, it’s void. In case of a tie on points, the player with the higher finish in the Main Event will be crowned champion.
Examples – How Points Add Up
Here’s how the system looks in practice. Let’s take three players who each played different events:
Player A – Maria
- €150 Side Event, 180 entries, 3rd place
- Base points: 18
- Multiplier: ×1.5 (180 entries) → 27
- Participation points: 1.25
- Total: 28.25 points
Player B – Tom
- €1100 High Roller, 310 entries, 7th place
- Base points: 13
- Multiplier: ×2 (310 entries) → 26
- Participation points: 11
- Total: 37 points
Player C – Anna
- €500 Main Event, 1,020 entries, 45th place (ITM finish)
- Base points: 2
- Multiplier: ×3 (1,020 entries) → 6
- Participation points: 2.5 (doubled for Main Event → 5)
- Total: 11 points
As you can see, even a modest ITM finish in a huge field can make a difference, while a deep run in a High Roller with a big buy-in really rockets up the points.
Why It Matters
The Player of the Series race keeps the tension high all week. Every single tournament has an impact on the bigger story. Maybe a min-cash pushes you into the top ten, or maybe a deep run catapults you into the lead. Whatever happens, the leaderboard keeps players — and fans — invested until the very last hand.
It’s not only about chasing trophies, it’s about proving you can handle the grind, adapt across formats, and deliver over multiple days of poker. That’s why this leaderboard means so much.
The Champions
Over time, the Player of the Series leaderboard has highlighted some incredible performances. Some champions have won it more than once, showing that consistency is key in poker. Every name in the gallery has put together a festival run to remember.
Follow the live standings, daily updates on the blog, and all the action on social media. The race is on!
