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 nighttime win in Aberdeen to close on a play-off location while Luke Littler sealed leading spot.
Aspinall is on the edge of certifying after beating Chris Dobey 6-1 in the final on a dramatic night which saw Gerwyn Price struck a nine-darter.
Dobey declared a decider to win his semi-final 6-5 versus world champion Littler, who earlier won a traditional against world number one Luke Humphries that included 14 180s.
Despite balancing 110.01, Humphries might not stop Littler, who balanced 115.96 to ensure he would complete top of the league phase.
Defending champion Littler had currently gotten approved for the four-man play-offs in London on 29 May together with Humphries and Price.
Price struck his 2nd nine-darter of the campaign however ended a 6-4 quarter-final loser to Stephen Bunting.
Aspinall moved above seven-time champ Michael van Gerwen into 4th spot with a 6-3 victory over the Dutchman before dispatching Bunting 6-1 and going four points clear after his last accomplishment.
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 said to my family, I don't wish 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 pass away video game. I conserve myself three hours of misery if I can beat him at 8pm, I'm going to the O2 which is a dream of mine. It's in my hands."
Relive Aspinall's win on dramatic night in Aberdeen
Premier League Darts schedule, results, cash prize
29 May 2025
Littler beats Humphries in timeless
Littler against Humphries measured up to its billing as the pair provided a breathtaking quarter-final.
Humphries struck nine maximums to his challenger's 5, but he could not stop 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 6 perfect darts, while Littler needed simply 10 to win the third leg.
"Are you kidding me? This is an outright joke," stated Sky Sports expert Wayne Mardle in commentary.
"If this is your very first time viewing a darts match, this is not the standard."
Price strikes nine-darter but loses
For the 2nd time in the Premier League this season, Price hit a nine-darter and lost.
He likewise produced an ideal leg when beaten by Littler in Manchester in April.
The 2021 world champion has the alleviation of strolling off with another set of 18 carat gold darts from sponsors BetMGM, worth an approximated ₤ 30,000.
There have 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 major danger of out on the play-offs for only the 2nd time.
His only absence from the finals considering that his debut 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 many times, which shown essential.
Rob Cross can not make the play-offs after a 6-2 loss to Dobey, who balanced 107 however is likewise 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 across 16 weeks in the league phase with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final each night.
Each of the eight players is guaranteed to face the other seven in the quarter-finals in weeks one to seven and 9-15, with week eight and week 16 components done off the table. It implies we will get 4th v fifth in Sheffield on the final league-stage night, with the play-off spots potentially on the line.
Players make two points per quarter-final win, an extra point if they win their semi-final, and 5 for winning the night.
The leading 4 players after the group stage development to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with very first dealing with fourth and second versus 3rd in best-of-19-leg matches. The final, which is the best of 21 legs, follows.
If players are level on points after the 16 weeks then places are decided by nights won and after that 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