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 nightly win in Aberdeen to close on a play-off location while Luke Littler sealed top area.


Aspinall is on the edge of qualifying after beating Chris Dobey 6-1 in the final on a significant night which saw Gerwyn Price struck a nine-darter.


Dobey declared a decider to win his semi-final 6-5 against world champ Littler, who earlier won a timeless versus world number one Luke Humphries that included 14 180s.


Despite averaging 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 hit his 2nd nine-darter of the project however ended a 6-4 quarter-final loser to Stephen Bunting.


Aspinall moved above seven-time champ Michael van Gerwen into fourth area with a 6-3 victory over the Dutchman before dispatching Bunting 6-1 and going four points clear after his last triumph.


If Van Gerwen does not declare the night win in Sheffield next week, Aspinall - who finished fifth in 2023 and 2024 - will claim the last play-off area.


"All I have said to my family, I do not desire to come 5th again. I have actually 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 die video game. I save 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 remarkable night in Aberdeen


Premier League Darts schedule, results, cash prize


29 May 2025


Littler beats Humphries in classic


Littler versus Humphries measured up to its billing as the set provided a breathtaking quarter-final.


Humphries struck 9 maximums to his opponent's 5, however he might not stop Littler's charge.


In a match that ended up in under 12 minutes, there were a total of 40 100-plus sees - 21 from Littler and 19 for Humphries.


Humphries began by hitting six ideal darts, while Littler needed just 10 to win the 3rd leg.


"Are you joke me? This is an outright 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 hits nine-darter however loses


For the second time in the Premier League this season, Price struck 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 consolation of walking off with another set of 18 carat gold darts from sponsors BetMGM, worth an estimated ₤ 30,000.


There have now been five nine-darters in this . No previous edition of the competition has actually had more than 2.


Van Gerwen remains without a night win in 2025 and in major danger of missing out on the play-offs for only the 2nd time.


His only lack from the finals since his debut season in 2013 was available 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 lot of times, and that proved vital.


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 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 stage with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a last each night.


Each of the eight players is guaranteed to deal with the other 7 in the quarter-finals in weeks one to 7 and 9-15, with week eight and week 16 fixtures done off the table. It indicates we will get fourth v 5th in Sheffield on the final league-stage night, with the play-off areas 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 gamers after the group phase progress to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with first dealing with 4th and second versus 3rd in best-of-19-leg matches. The final, which is the finest of 21 legs, follows.


If gamers are level on points after the 16 weeks then locations 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