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 verge of certifying after beating Chris Dobey 6-1 in the final on a remarkable night 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 versus world primary Luke Humphries that included 14 180s.
Despite averaging 110.01, Humphries could not halt Littler, who balanced 115.96 to ensure he would finish top of the league phase.
Defending champion Littler had already qualified for the four-man play-offs in London on 29 May together with Humphries and Price.
Price struck his second nine-darter of the campaign but 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 success over the Dutchman before dispatching Bunting 6-1 and going 4 points clear after his final triumph.
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 spot.
"All I have actually said to my household, I do not wish 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," said the English gamer.
"It's a do or pass away video game. I conserve myself 3 hours of anguish 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 classic
Littler versus 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 stop Littler's charge.
In a match that completed in under 12 minutes, there were an overall of 40 100-plus visits - 21 from Littler and 19 for Humphries.
Humphries started by striking six best darts, while Littler needed simply 10 to win the third leg.
"Are you kidding me? This is an absolute joke," stated Sky Sports expert Wayne Mardle in commentary.
"If this is your very first time enjoying a darts match, this is not the standard."
Price hits nine-darter but loses
For the 2nd time in the Premier League this season, Price struck 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 strolling 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 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 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 often times, and that proved important.
Rob Cross can not make the play-offs after a 6-2 loss to Dobey, who balanced 107 but is likewise out of contention after his last 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
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 stage with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a last each night.
Each of the eight gamers is guaranteed to deal with 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 fifth in Sheffield on the last league-stage night, with the play-off spots possibly 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 phase development to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with first facing fourth and second versus third in best-of-19-leg matches. The last, which is the very best of 21 legs, follows.
If players 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