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 place while Luke Littler sealed leading spot.
Aspinall is on the verge of qualifying after beating Chris Dobey 6-1 in the last on a remarkable night which saw Gerwyn Price struck a nine-darter.
Dobey declared a decider to win his semi-final 6-5 versus world champ Littler, who earlier won a classic 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 stage.
Defending champion Littler had actually currently qualified for the four-man play-offs in London on 29 May along with Humphries and Price.
Price struck his second 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 4th spot 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 ended up fifth in 2023 and 2024 - will claim the last play-off spot.
"All I have actually said to my household, I don't desire to come 5th 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," stated the English player.
"It's a do or pass away game. I save myself three hours of misery 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 significant night in Aberdeen
Premier League Darts schedule, results, cash prize
29 May 2025
Littler beats Humphries in classic
Littler against Humphries lived up to its billing as the set provided an awesome quarter-final.
Humphries hit nine maximums to his opponent's 5, but he might not halt Littler's charge.
In a match that finished in under 12 minutes, there were an overall of 40 100-plus sees - 21 from Littler and 19 for Humphries.
Humphries began by striking six perfect darts, while Littler required 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 seeing a darts match, this is not the norm."
Price hits nine-darter but loses
For the second time in the Premier League this season, Price struck a nine-darter and lost.
He also produced an ideal leg when beaten by Littler in Manchester in April.
The 2021 world champion has the alleviation of walking off with another set of 18 carat gold darts from sponsors BetMGM, worth an approximated ₤ 30,000.
There have actually now been 5 nine-darters in this year's occasion. No previous edition of the competition has had more than 2.
Van Gerwen stays without a night win in 2025 and in serious danger of missing out on out on the play-offs for just the 2nd time.
His only absence from the finals because 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 sometimes, and that proved important.
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 final defeat.
Premier League Darts Night 15 outcomes
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 deal with the other 7 in the quarter-finals in weeks one to seven and 9-15, with week 8 and week 16 components done off the table. It suggests we will get 4th v 5th in Sheffield on the last league-stage night, with the play-off areas potentially on the line.
Players make two points per quarter-final win, an additional point if they win their semi-final, and 5 for winning the night.
The leading 4 players after the group phase progress to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with very first facing fourth and second against 3rd in best-of-19. The final, which is the very best of 21 legs, follows.
If gamers are level on points after the 16 weeks then places are decided 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