After sixteen weeks of titanic tungsten-tossing action, a trek across seven countries, and more 180s than a stunt driver on a racetrack, it all comes down to one final night in London to crown the 2025 BetMGM Premier League Champion.
Last year, that honour was snatched by a 17-year-old lad from Warrington who, just months earlier, was nowhere near the household name he’s become. Since then, Luke Littler has done fairly OK – well, that’s a monumental understatement. He returns to the O2 not only as the defending champion but also as the man wearing the World crown.
The Nuke breaks darts records as frequently as Greeks smash plates at weddings. If there’s a stat beginning with “Youngest player to…”, odds are his name is on the end of it. His tally of 45 points and six nightly wins this season is unmatched in the modern format – well, apart from the 40 points he posted himself last year.
Unsurprisingly, the teenage sensation enters the arena as the bookies favourite to retain his crown. But three players – each talented enough to derail the Littler Express – are ready to have their say. First up for Luke is Gerwyn Price. The Welshman has been a thorn in the youngster’s side all season and certainly knows how to get the job done. While it often looks like Littler’s playing a darts video game on beginner mode, Gezzy has somehow found the cheat code more than once.
You’d have to go back to the 2023 World Cup of Darts for Gerwyn Price’s last televised trophy – and even that came with Jonny Clayton by his side. The Iceman did enjoy a strong start to that year, claiming back-to-back European Tour titles and adding the World Series Finals to his haul in late 2022. But, apart from a couple of non ranked World Series triumphs, 2024 was a rare barren spell for the fish-frying lad from Markham.
Still, when all’s said and done, Gezzy remains one of the very best in the game – highly decorated, fiercely competitive, and more than eager to add the Premier League title to his glittering résumé. With his compatriot Jonny Clayton lifting the Dutch Darts Championship last weekend and the World Cup looming large, it could be the start of a very special few weeks for Wales – a nation steeped in darting pedigree and never short of a hero at the oche.
The second semi-final is an all-English affair between two of the finest on the planet: world number one and former World Champion Luke Humphries, and two-time PDC major winner Nathan Aspinall. Both can throw averages you’d expect to see on a cricket scoreboard when they hit form.
Humphries has been the more consistent of the two throughout the league phase, sealing his play-off spot well before the final Thursday in Sheffield. At 30, Luke is world number one for a reason – he’s absolutely brilliant. Calm, clinical, and classy under pressure, he’s won nearly everything there is to win… except this but to be fair, this is only his second crack at it. In his debut Premier League campaign, Cool Hand went all the way to the final, playing superbly – only to be denied by Littler in what many still regard as one of the greatest matches ever staged. This time, he’ll be desperate to go one better.
Standing in his way is fellow Englishman Nathan Aspinall. Going into the final week in South Yorkshire, The Asp needed to beat Michael van Gerwen in his opening match to qualify. He did better than that – knocked out the Green Machine and leapfrogged Price to finish third.
It’s Nathan’s third appearance on Finals Night, but surprisingly his first at the O2, thanks to COVID-era venue changes so that’s another item ticked off the darting bucket list. Aspinall might just be the most tenacious player in the sport. His comeback from injury has been nothing short of remarkable proving he has a knack for turning peril into glory. Stick him in a cage full of tigers and he’d probably have them trained, versed in the offside trap, pulling off bicycle kicks, and ready to win a football tournament within hours. If Humphries edges ahead, he’ll know Nathan won’t give up until the final double is pinned.
With two absorbing semi-finals on offer, the final could go any number of ways. There are four possible outcomes – and you could make a solid case for each. One thing’s for sure: if this quartet produce what they’re capable of, we’re in for an absolutely electric night of darts.
So commandeer the TV remote from whoever’s eyeing up EastEnders, grab some popcorn, and settle in. These lads entertain in abundance.
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC
