Aspinall Wins In Aberdeen As Littler Seals Top Spot
ByFrank Keogh
BBC Sport senior reporter
15 May 2025
113 Comments
Updated 16 May 2025
Nathan Aspinall took the Premier League nighttime win in Aberdeen to close on a play-off place while Luke Littler sealed top spot.
Aspinall is on the verge of certifying after beating Chris Dobey 6-1 in the final on a which saw Gerwyn Price hit a nine-darter.
Dobey declared a decider to win his semi-final 6-5 versus world champ Littler, who earlier won a timeless against world primary Luke Humphries that featured 14 180s.
Despite averaging 110.01, Humphries could not halt Littler, who balanced 115.96 to guarantee he would finish top of the league stage.
Defending champ Littler had actually already qualified for the four-man play-offs in London on 29 May along with Humphries and Price.
Price hit his 2nd nine-darter of the campaign however ended a 6-4 quarter-final loser to Stephen Bunting.
Aspinall moved above seven-time champion 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 victory.
If Van Gerwen does not claim the night win in Sheffield next week, Aspinall - who completed fifth in 2023 and 2024 - will claim the last play-off area.
"All I have actually stated to my household, I do not desire to come 5th again. I've put one foot in the finals. I play Michael [van Gerwen] again next week and the pressure is on him," stated the English gamer.
"It's a do or pass away video game. I save myself 3 hours of torment 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 dramatic night in Aberdeen
Premier League Darts schedule, results, reward cash
29 May 2025
Littler beats Humphries in timeless
Littler against Humphries lived up to its billing as the pair delivered a spectacular quarter-final.
Humphries hit 9 optimums to his opponent's 5, but he might not halt Littler's charge.
In a match that completed in under 12 minutes, there were a total of 40 100-plus gos to - 21 from Littler and 19 for Humphries.
Humphries began by hitting 6 perfect darts, while Littler required just 10 to win the 3rd leg.
"Are you kidding me? This is an outright joke," stated Sky Sports pundit Wayne Mardle in commentary.
"If this is your very first time enjoying a darts match, this is not the standard."
Price strikes nine-darter however loses
For the 2nd time in the Premier League this season, Price hit a nine-darter and lost.
He likewise produced a perfect leg when beaten by Littler in Manchester in April.
The 2021 world champion has the consolation of strolling off with another set of 18 carat gold darts from sponsors BetMGM, worth an estimated ₤ 30,000.
There have now been five nine-darters in this year's event. No previous edition of the competition has had more than 2.
Van Gerwen remains without a night win in 2025 and in serious threat of losing out on the play-offs for only the second time.
His only lack from the finals because his launching season in 2013 can be found in 2020 when he ended up sixth in the table.
While he matched Aspinall with a 97 average and 42% checkout, the Englishman got to the double twice as numerous times, which shown important.
Rob Cross can not make the play-offs after a 6-2 loss to Dobey, who averaged 107 however 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 stage with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final each night.
Each of the 8 gamers is ensured to deal with the other seven 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 last league-stage night, with the play-off areas possibly on the line.
Players make 2 points per quarter-final win, an additional point if they win their semi-final, and five for winning the night.
The leading 4 gamers after the group stage development to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with first facing 4th and second versus third in best-of-19-leg matches. The final, which is the very best of 21 legs, follows.
If players are level on points after the 16 weeks then places 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
