Michael van Gerwen may have began his bid for a record-extending eighth BetMGM Premier League title with victory over fellow Dutchman Gian van Veen, but the World Champonship finalist and reigning World Champion certainly produced an impressive debut on Night One in Newcastle.
Despite missing out on a nightly victory on debut, Van Veen also enjoyed a night to remember in Newcastle, defeating Luke Littler and Jonny Clayton to reach Thursday’s showpiece.
Van Veen avenged his defeat to Littler in last month’s World Championship final with a hard-fought 6-4 win, before defeating 2021 champion Clayton by the same scoreline in the semi-finals.
Earlier in the night, Clayton marked his return to the Premier League fold with a majestic 6-2 success against Josh Rock, averaging 109.81 to triumph in this year’s curtain-raiser.
Meanwhile, Seven-time Premier League champion Van Gerwen failed to register a solitary nightly win in last year’s competition, but he made the perfect start to his 2026 campaign with victory at the Utilita Arena.
The Dutch superstar recorded successive 6-2 wins over Stephen Bunting and Luke Humphries in advancing to Thursday’s showpiece, rattling off six straight legs to dispatch Bunting.
The three-time World Champion then converted six of his eight attempts at double to dump out reigning champion Humphries, wrapping up proceedings with consecutive ton-plus finishes.
Van Gerwen continued from where he left off against Van Veen, storming to the opening two legs in 28 darts, before his younger compatriot halved the deficit with a 14-dart hold.
Van Veen then missed a hat-trick of opportunities to restore parity in leg four, although he responded to a 12-darter from Van Gerwen in leg six with a 110 checkout to reduce the arrears to 4-3.
Van Gerwen then squandered multiple darts of his own to close out victory in leg nine, but he made amends moments later, following up a sixth 180 by pinning double 14 to seal the deal.
“Without playing my A-game I still won, but I had some fantastic finishes at the right moments,” reflected Van Gerwen.
“I know I can do a lot better than this, but winning gives you confidence. Winning games is the best medicine for performing better.
“It’s always nice to respond well. At the World Masters I had some issues at home, so I had to deal with that, and to bounce back with a win here in Newcastle, it means a lot to me.
“There’s still a lot of room for improvement, but as long as I keep that in mind, anything is possible.”
Humphries, meanwhile, began his defence of the title with a deciding-leg victory over 2023 runner-up Gerwyn Price, surviving two match darts in a dramatic finale, despite averaging north of 104.
Night Two of the BetMGM Premier League will take place at the AFAS Dome in Antwerp next Thursday, as the darting roadshow visits Belgium for the first time.
The world’s top two Littler and Humphries lock horns in the evening’s opener, before Night One winner Van Gerwen takes on Rock for a place in the semi-finals.
Elsewhere, Clayton faces Bunting, while Van Veen and Price also go head-to-head on Belgian soil.
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2026 BetMGM Premier League
Night One – Utilita Arena, Newcastle
Thursday February 5
Quarter-Finals
Jonny Clayton 6-2 Josh Rock
Gian van Veen 6-4 Luke Littler
Luke Humphries 6-5 Gerwyn Price
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Stephen Bunting
Semi-Finals
Gian van Veen 6-4 Jonny Clayton
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Luke Humphries
Final
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Gian van Veen
Night Two – AFAS Dome, Antwerp
Thursday February 12
Quarter-Finals
Luke Littler v Luke Humphries
Michael van Gerwen v Josh Rock
Jonny Clayton v Stephen Bunting
Gerwyn Price v Gian van Veen
——-ENDS—–
Images: Kieran Cleeves/PDC
