Lukes to Clash in Nottingham

The top two players in world darts will go head-to-head in the BetMGM Premier League on Thursday, as Luke Humphries and Luke Littler renew their rivalry in Nottingham.

Humphries and Littler have won four of the opening five nights between them in this year’s roadshow, with Humphries currently occupying a two-point lead over the teenager at the top of the table.

However, Littler arrives at the Motorpoint Arena brimming with confidence, having claimed a hat-trick of titles during the last fortnight.

Littler followed up his UK Open triumph by claiming the Night Five title in Brighton last Thursday, before retaining his Belgian Darts Open crown in Wieze on Sunday.

His incredible 19-match winning run eventually came to an end on the PDC ProTour on Tuesday, but only after he averaged 122.93 against Damon Heta, having also landed a nine-darter earlier in the day.

“I’ve always been confident in my own ability,” insisted Littler, who has featured in three of the first five nightly finals this season.

“The way my darts are going at the minute, it’s probably the best I’ve ever played on a consistent basis.

“That is why I can find those extra gears and dig myself out of trouble when I need to.

“I said at the start of the year if I don’t win anything all year, I’m still a World Champion, and I’m just enjoying my darts at the minute.”

Humphries has also enjoyed a terrific start to the season, recording nightly victories in Belfast and Exeter to establish an eight-point buffer in the race for Play-Off qualification.

Littler edged out Humphries to triumph in Glasgow’s Night Two decider, but the world number one avenged that result in Exeter, ending a run of six straight Premier League defeats against the young phenom.

Humphries was then beaten in the Night Five quarter-finals by an inspired Rob Cross last week, despite landing his first televised nine-darter in the early stages of their last eight clash.

“I was really pleased to hit the nine-darter last week, but Rob played a fantastic game to beat me,” conceded Humphries, the 2024 Premier League runner-up.

“I’m in a good position, but I’m still going to have to work hard to pick up these wins.

“I’ve got Luke this week, and then Michael [van Gerwen] in the quarter-finals next week.

“It’s going to be tough, but I know I’ve got the credentials to beat them both, and hopefully I can get some more points this week and stay top of the table!”

Humphries could face Cross once again in the Night Six semi-finals, as the 2019 runner-up plays Chris Dobey in the evening’s second quarter-final.

Dobey is without a Premier League win since his victory over Cross in the Night One semi-finals, while the Hastings-born star was imperious in Brighton, averaging 111 and 107 while hitting a nine-darter of his own.

Elsewhere, Night Three champion Gerwyn Price will aim to return to winning ways on the Premier League stage against Stephen Bunting, who is bidding to open his account at the sixth attempt.

Bunting currently props up the table on his return to the sport’s elite event, although the Liverpudlian has faced averages of 109, 103, 112 and 106 since succumbing to Cross on Night One.

The quarter-final action on Night Six will conclude with a fascinating showdown between Aspinall and Van Gerwen, who are locked on eight points apiece.

Aspinall has defied an inauspicious start to his campaign by catapulting himself up to third place, after finishing runner-up to Price and Littler on Nights Three and Five respectively.

Van Gerwen is yet to feature in a nightly final in 2025, but the seven-time champion has won four of his five quarter-final encounters – a record only matched by league leader Humphries.

The 2025 Premier League sees eight of the sport’s biggest names contesting 16 mini-events during the season, with each league night comprising quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final over the best of 11 legs.

Ranking points are awarded per night – with five to the winner, three to the runner-up and two to the semi-finalists – to form the league table from which the top four players will progress to the Play-Offs at The O2 in London on Thursday May 29.

The 2025 BetMGM Premier League will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK & Ireland, through the PDC’s worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers (outside of the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria & Switzerland).