Can MVG Find His 8th Wonder?

After 16 weeks of action across the UK, Ireland, Germany, and Netherlands, it all comes down to the O2 Arena on Thursday, with 4 players hunting down £275,000 and the right to be addressed as Premier League Champion.

Michael van Gerwen has won the last two Premier League’s, with his victory in 2023 making him the most successful player in the tournament’s history, surpassing Phil Taylor’s 6 wins after beating Gerwyn Price 11-5.

MVG is in the mix to add an 8^th Premier League win to his honours list, and he is joined in the Capital by the 2 players who reached the World Championship Final in Luke Littler and Luke Humphries.

Both Luke’s have had debut campaigns to remember, finishing 1^st and 2^nd in the table and winning 8 nights out of the 16 overall between them.

Michael Smith clinched his place last week in Sheffield after a long gruelling battle with World Matchplay Champion Nathan Aspinall. Bully Boy recorded successive 6-3 wins over The Asp to secure a return to the O2, having reached the Play Offs 12 months ago with a 2^nd placed finish.

Defending champion Michael van Gerwen hunts down a third successive win in the Premier League, but standing in his way in the second semi-final will be the World Number 1 and World Champion Luke Humphries.

Cool Hand has got the better of Van Gerwen in the last two weeks of action, winning the Night 15 Final in Leeds, before clinching a Semi Final success over the Green Machine at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield.

Humphries has won 4 of the 5 matches with the defending champion this year, however Michael hasn’t lost in the Premier League Play Offs, since losing 10-8 to eventual winner Jonny Clayton in the 2021 Semi Finals.

Both players won 4 nights in their respective campaigns, with the World Number 1 winning in Brighton, Nottingham, Dublin, and his beloved Leeds on the penultimate night.

Van Gerwen made a fast start, claiming 3 of the opening four nights in Berlin, Glasgow, and Newcastle, before adding a fourth on Night 11 in Birmingham.

Table Topper Luke Littler and Michael Smith open the proceedings for a place in the Premier League Final. The 2 English internationals have crossed paths 7 times over the 16 nights played, with Smith picking up 5 wins from 7 against The Nuke.

However, the format is different for the Play Offs, with the Semi Final set to be best of 19 legs in London. Littler showcased at the World Championship and the UK Open of his ability in longer format contests, so he won’t pay much attention to the head-to-head record with his opponent.

Littler continues to prove the doubters wrong, winning four nights in a dream campaign, including defeating Michael van Gerwen 6-2 in a contest where both players averaged over 110.

The former World Youth Champion also found the most 180s in the league phase, hitting 114 with Luke Humphries in 2^nd on 107.

The Premier League Play Offs commence on the 23^rd ^ofMay from the O2 Arena, with three players all hunting a maiden success in the darting roadshow, whilst the other aims to stamp his authority and become the first individual to win the competition 8 times.