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 top area.
Aspinall is on the brink of certifying after beating Chris Dobey 6-1 in the last on a significant evening which saw Gerwyn Price hit a nine-darter.
Dobey declared a decider to win his 6-5 versus world champion Littler, who earlier won a classic versus world number one Luke Humphries that featured 14 180s.
Despite balancing 110.01, Humphries might not stop Littler, who averaged 115.96 to ensure he would end up top of the league stage.
Defending champion Littler had actually currently gotten approved for the four-man play-offs in London on 29 May along with Humphries and Price.
Price struck his 2nd nine-darter of the project however ended a 6-4 quarter-final loser to Stephen Bunting.
Aspinall moved above seven-time champion Michael van Gerwen into fourth spot with a 6-3 victory over the Dutchman before dispatching Bunting 6-1 and going 4 points clear after his last accomplishment.
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 area.
"All I have actually said 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 die game. I save myself 3 hours of anguish 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 remarkable night in Aberdeen
Premier League Darts schedule, results, cash prize
29 May 2025
Littler beats Humphries in traditional
Littler versus Humphries lived up to its billing as the set provided a breathtaking quarter-final.
Humphries struck nine optimums to his challenger's 5, however he could not halt Littler's charge.
In a match that ended up in under 12 minutes, there were a total of 40 100-plus visits - 21 from Littler and 19 for Humphries.
Humphries started by hitting 6 best darts, while Littler needed just 10 to win the third leg.
"Are you kidding me? This is an absolute joke," said Sky Sports pundit Wayne Mardle in commentary.
"If this is your very first time enjoying a darts match, this is not the norm."
Price strikes nine-darter but loses
For the 2nd 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 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 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 missing out on the play-offs for just the second time.
His only lack from the finals given that his launching season in 2013 came 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, which shown essential.
Rob Cross can not make the play-offs after a 6-2 loss to Dobey, who averaged 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 stage with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final each night.
Each of the eight gamers is guaranteed to face the other seven in the quarter-finals in weeks one to seven and 9-15, with week 8 and week 16 components done off the table. It implies we will get fourth v fifth in Sheffield on the last league-stage night, with the play-off areas potentially 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 phase development to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with first facing fourth and second against 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 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