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 nightly win in Aberdeen to close on a play-off location while Luke Littler sealed top area.
Aspinall is on the brink of qualifying after beating Chris Dobey 6-1 in the last on a significant night which saw Gerwyn Price hit a nine-darter.
Dobey claimed a decider to win his semi-final 6-5 versus world champion Littler, who earlier won a timeless against world primary Luke Humphries that featured 14 180s.
Despite balancing 110.01, Humphries might not halt Littler, who averaged 115.96 to guarantee he would finish top of the league phase.
Defending champion Littler had actually currently received the four-man play-offs in London on 29 May alongside Humphries and Price.
Price hit his second nine-darter of the project but ended a 6-4 quarter-final loser to Stephen Bunting.
Aspinall moved above seven-time van Gerwen into 4th area with a 6-3 victory over the Dutchman before dispatching Bunting 6-1 and going 4 points clear after his final triumph.
If Van Gerwen does not declare the night win in Sheffield next week, Aspinall - who finished fifth in 2023 and 2024 - will declare the last play-off spot.
"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] once again next week and the pressure is on him," stated the English player.
"It's a do or pass away game. I conserve myself three hours of anguish if I can beat him at 8pm, I'm going to the O2 which is a dream of mine. It remains in my hands."
Relive Aspinall's win on dramatic night in Aberdeen
Premier League Darts schedule, results, prize cash
29 May 2025
Littler beats Humphries in classic
Littler versus Humphries lived up to its billing as the set provided a spectacular quarter-final.
Humphries struck 9 optimums to his opponent's 5, however he could not halt Littler's charge.
In a match that finished in under 12 minutes, there were an overall of 40 100-plus visits - 21 from Littler and 19 for Humphries.
Humphries began by hitting six ideal darts, while Littler required simply 10 to win the third leg.
"Are you kidding me? This is an outright joke," stated Sky Sports pundit Wayne Mardle in commentary.
"If this is your first time enjoying a darts match, this is not the norm."
Price strikes nine-darter however loses
For the second time in the Premier League this season, Price hit a nine-darter and lost.
He likewise produced a best leg when beaten by Littler in Manchester in April.
The 2021 world champion has the consolation of walking off with another set of 18 carat gold darts from sponsors BetMGM, worth an estimated ₤ 30,000.
There have actually now been 5 nine-darters in this year's occasion. No previous edition of the competition has actually had more than 2.
Van Gerwen stays without a night win in 2025 and in severe threat of losing out on the play-offs for only the second time.
His only lack from the finals since his launching season in 2013 can be found in 2020 when he completed sixth in the table.
While he matched Aspinall with a 97 average and 42% checkout, the Englishman got to the double twice as many times, which proved vital.
Rob Cross can not make the play-offs after a 6-2 loss to Dobey, who balanced 107 but is also out of contention after his last 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 across 16 weeks in the league phase with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final each night.
Each of the 8 gamers is guaranteed to deal with the other 7 in the quarter-finals in weeks one to seven and 9-15, with week 8 and week 16 fixtures done off the table. It suggests we will get 4th v 5th in Sheffield on the last league-stage night, with the play-off spots possibly on the line.
Players earn two 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 progress to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with very first facing 4th and second versus 3rd in best-of-19-leg matches. The last, which is the finest 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