Nathan Aspinall is vying for a Premier League play-off berth after narrowly missing out in the previous two years.
Nathan Aspinall secured a Premier League victory in Aberdeen, bolstering his playoff chances, while Luke Littler clinched the top spot.
Aspinall’s decisive 6-1 win over Chris Dobey in the final places him on the cusp of qualification. The night featured a remarkable nine-darter from Gerwyn Price.
Dobey edged a thrilling semi-final against world champion Littler, winning 6-5. Earlier, Littler showcased an exceptional performance against world number one Luke Humphries, a match punctuated by 14 180s.
Despite a commendable average of 110.01, Humphries couldn’t overcome Littler’s impressive 115.96 average, securing Littler’s top league position.
Defending champion Littler, along with Humphries and Price, had already qualified for the four-man playoffs in London on May 29th.
Price, despite achieving his second nine-darter of the season, lost his quarter-final match against Stephen Bunting, 6-4.
Aspinall surpassed seven-time champion Michael van Gerwen, moving into fourth place after a 6-3 victory over the Dutchman, followed by a 6-1 win against Bunting. This final win placed him four points ahead of his closest competitor.
Should Van Gerwen fail to win in Sheffield next week, Aspinall – who finished fifth in 2023 and 2024 – will secure the final playoff spot.
“I’ve told my family, I don’t want another fifth-place finish. I’m one step away from the finals. I play Michael [van Gerwen] again next week, the pressure’s on him,” the English player commented.
“It’s a crucial match. Beating him would save me a lot of disappointment; reaching the O2 is a dream. It’s all in my hands.”
Relive Aspinall’s victory on a thrilling night in Aberdeen
Premier League Darts: Schedule, Results, and Prize Money
The Littler-Humphries match featured an astounding 40 100+ point finishes.
The quarter-final clash between Littler and Humphries lived up to expectations, delivering a breathtaking display.
Humphries hit nine maximums to Littler’s five, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Littler’s win.
Completed in under 12 minutes, the match witnessed a remarkable 40 100+ point finishes – 21 by Littler and 19 by Humphries.
Humphries started with six perfect darts, while Littler needed just 10 darts to clinch the third leg.
“Are you kidding me? This is unbelievable,” exclaimed Sky Sports commentator Wayne Mardle.
“If this is your first darts match, this isn’t typical.”
Gerwyn Price celebrates his second nine-darter of the 2025 season.
For the second time this Premier League season, Price achieved a nine-darter but still lost the match.
He also threw a perfect leg in April’s defeat against Littler in Manchester.
The 2021 world champion received a consolation prize: a set of 18-carat gold darts from sponsor BetMGM, valued at approximately £30,000.
Five nine-darters have been thrown in this year’s event; no previous season has seen more than two.
Van Gerwen remains without a night win in 2025 and risks missing the playoffs for only the second time.
His only previous absence from the finals since his 2013 debut was in 2020, finishing sixth.
Despite matching Aspinall’s 97 average and 42% checkout rate, Aspinall’s superior double hitting proved decisive.
Rob Cross is out of playoff contention following a 6-2 defeat to Dobey, who, despite a 107 average, is also eliminated after his final loss.
Final
Nathan Aspinall 6-1 Chris Dobey
Semi-finals
Nathan Aspinall 6-1 Stephen Bunting
Chris Dobey 6-5 Luke Littler
Quarter-finals
Michael van Gerwen 3-6 Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price 4-6 Stephen Bunting
Chris Dobey 6-2 Rob Cross
Luke Littler 6-3 Luke Humphries
The Premier League Darts league stage spans 16 weeks, culminating in nightly quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals.
Each of the eight players faces the other seven in the quarter-finals across weeks one to seven and nine to fifteen. Weeks eight and sixteen fixtures are determined separately. The final league night in Sheffield features a fourth versus fifth matchup, with playoff spots potentially at stake.
Players earn two points per quarter-final win, one additional point for a semi-final win, and five points for winning the night.
The top four players advance to the playoff night at London’s O2 Arena on May 23rd, with a best-of-19-leg format. The final is a best-of-21-leg match.
Tiebreakers after 16 weeks are nights won, then matches won.
Thursday, May 22nd – Sheffield
Luke Littler v Stephen Bunting
Nathan Aspinall v Michael van Gerwen
Luke Humphries v Rob Cross
Gerwyn Price v Chris Dobey
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