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 place while Luke Littler sealed top spot.
Aspinall is on the verge of certifying after beating Chris Dobey 6-1 in the last on a remarkable evening which saw Gerwyn Price hit a nine-darter.
Dobey claimed a decider to win his semi-final 6-5 versus world champion Littler, who earlier won a traditional versus world number one Luke Humphries that featured 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 received the four-man play-offs in London on 29 May together with Humphries and Price.
Price hit his second nine-darter of the project but 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 4 points clear after his final triumph.
If Van Gerwen does not claim the night win in Sheffield next week, Aspinall - who ended up 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've put one foot in the finals. I play Michael [van Gerwen] again next week and the pressure is on him," said the English player.
"It's a do or pass away video game. I save myself 3 hours of suffering 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 timeless
Littler against Humphries lived up to its billing as the pair delivered an awesome quarter-final.
Humphries hit 9 optimums to his challenger's 5, however he might 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 six best 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 watching a darts match, this is not the norm."
Price hits nine-darter however loses
For the 2nd time in the Premier League this season, Price struck a nine-darter and lost.
He likewise produced a perfect leg when beaten by Littler in Manchester in April.
The 2021 world champ has the consolation of walking off with another set of 18 carat gold darts from sponsors BetMGM, worth an approximated ₤ 30,000.
There have now been five nine-darters in this year's event. No previous edition of the competitors has actually had more than 2.
Van Gerwen remains without a night win in 2025 and in major threat of missing out on out on the play-offs for only the 2nd time.
His only absence from the finals given that his debut season in 2013 was available 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, which proved 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 .
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 throughout 16 weeks in the league phase 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 7 and 9-15, with week 8 and week 16 fixtures done off the table. It suggests we will get fourth v 5th in Sheffield on the final league-stage night, with the play-off spots possibly on the line.
Players earn two points per quarter-final win, an additional point if they win their semi-final, and five for winning the night.
The top four gamers 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 2nd against 3rd in best-of-19-leg matches. The final, which is the finest of 21 legs, follows.
If players are level on points after the 16 weeks then locations 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