Aspinall Wins In Aberdeen As Littler Seals Top Spot
ByFrank Keogh
BBC Sport senior journalist
15 May 2025
113 Comments
Updated 16 May 2025
Nathan Aspinall took the Premier League nightly win in Aberdeen to close on a play-off location while Luke Littler sealed leading area.
Aspinall is on the brink of qualifying after beating Chris Dobey 6-1 in the last on a dramatic night which saw Gerwyn Price hit a nine-darter.
Dobey declared a decider to win his semi-final 6-5 against world champ Littler, who earlier won a traditional against world primary Luke Humphries that featured 14 180s.
Despite averaging 110.01, Humphries might not halt Littler, who balanced 115.96 to ensure he would end up top of the league phase.
Defending champ Littler had actually already gotten approved for the four-man play-offs in London on 29 May along with Humphries and Price.
Price hit his second nine-darter of the project however ended a 6-4 quarter-final loser to Stephen Bunting.
Aspinall moved above seven-time champ Michael van Gerwen into fourth area with a 6-3 triumph over the Dutchman before dispatching Bunting 6-1 and going 4 points clear after his last triumph.
If Van Gerwen does not claim the night win in Sheffield next week, Aspinall - who finished fifth in 2023 and 2024 - will declare the last play-off area.
"All I have actually said to my family, I do not desire to come fifth again. I have actually put one foot in the finals. I play Michael [van Gerwen] once again next week and the pressure is on him," said the English gamer.
"It's a do or die game. I conserve myself 3 hours of suffering if I can beat him at 8pm, I'm going to the O2 which is an imagine mine. It's in my hands."
Relive Aspinall's win on remarkable night in Aberdeen
Premier League Darts schedule, results, cash prize
29 May 2025
Littler beats Humphries in classic
Littler versus Humphries measured up to its billing as the set delivered a breathtaking quarter-final.
Humphries struck nine maximums to his challenger's 5, however he might not halt Littler's charge.
In a match that completed in under 12 minutes, there were a total of 40 100-plus visits - 21 from Littler and 19 for Humphries.
Humphries started by hitting six ideal darts, while Littler needed just 10 to win the third leg.
"Are you kidding me? This is an outright joke," said Sky Sports pundit Wayne Mardle in commentary.
"If this is your very first time watching a darts match, this is not the norm."
Price strikes nine-darter but loses
For the second time in the Premier League this season, Price struck a nine-darter and lost.
He also produced a perfect leg when beaten by Littler in Manchester in April.
The 2021 world champ has the alleviation of strolling off with another set of 18 carat gold darts from sponsors BetMGM, worth an estimated ₤ 30,000.
There have actually now been five nine-darters in this year's event. No previous edition of the competitors has actually had more than 2.
Van Gerwen remains without a night win in 2025 and in severe threat of missing out on out on the play-offs for only the 2nd time.
His only absence from the finals considering that his debut season in 2013 came in 2020 when he finished sixth in the table.
While he matched Aspinall with a 97 average and 42% checkout, the Englishman got to the double twice as lot of times, which shown vital.
Rob Cross can not make the play-offs after a 6-2 loss to Dobey, who averaged 107 but is also out of contention after his final defeat.
Premier League Darts Night 15 results
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
Premier League Darts table
Premier League Darts format and points system
Premier League Darts is played throughout 16 weeks in the league phase with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a last each night.
Each of the 8 gamers is guaranteed to face the other 7 in the quarter-finals in weeks one to 7 and 9-15, with week 8 and week 16 fixtures done off the table. It implies we will get 4th v 5th in Sheffield on the final league-stage night, with the play-off spots potentially on the line.
Players make 2 points per quarter-final win, an additional point if they win their semi-final, and 5 for winning the night.
The leading 4 gamers after the group stage development to the play-off night at O2 Arena on 23 May, with very first dealing with 4th and 2nd against 3rd in best-of-19-leg matches. The last, which is the best of 21 legs, follows.
If players are level on points after the 16 weeks then locations are chosen by nights won and then matches won.
Premier League Darts night 16 order of play
Thursday, 22 May - Sheffield
Luke Littler v Stephen Bunting
Nathan Aspinall v Michael van Gerwen
Luke Humphries v Rob Cross
Gerwyn Price v Chris Dobey
Darts