Littler triumphs as Brighton sees two nine-darters

Luke Littler won nighttime 5 of nan Premier League successful Brighton connected an evening which saw 2 nine-dart finishes.

The 18-year-old claimed his 2nd nighttime triumph of nan twelvemonth pinch a 6-3 triumph successful nan last complete Nathan Aspinall.

Defending champion Littler deed 5 180s arsenic he triumphed again, 4 days aft thrashing James Wade 11-2 to win nan UK Open.

"I've ever been assured successful my ain ability, but nan measurement my darts are going astatine nan minute, it's astir apt nan champion I've ever played connected a accordant basis," Littler told Sky Sports.

World number 1 Luke Humphries deed nan first Premier League nine-darter of 2025 successful nan quarter-finals but was beaten by Rob Cross, who went connected to seal his ain cleanable limb against Aspinall earlier losing a decider.

The brace some person a group of coagulated golden darts, worthy an estimated £30,000 each, from convention sponsors Bet MGM.

Littler's triumph sees him trim nan spread connected convention leader Humphries to 2 points from seven, pinch nan brace gathering successful Nottingham adjacent week.

In a rematch of January's world final, wherever Littler go darts' youngest champion, he came retired connected apical again successful Brighton pinch a 6-2 triumph complete Michael van Gerwen successful nan semi-finals.

The Dutchman, a seven-time Premier League champion, has yet to make a last successful this year's competition.

Humphries deed nan cleanable limb pinch 2 180s earlier a 141 checkout to spell 2-0 up against Cross.

But nan 30-year-old, who was seeking his 3rd nightly triumph of nan campaign, ended up losing 6-4 to his chap Englishman.

It was nan 17th cleanable limb successful nan Premier League since its inception successful 2005.

But 2018 world champion Cross deed 7 180s of his ain and averaged 111.19 arsenic he grabbed nan victory.

Littler was acold from his champion successful his opener against Chris Dobey, wherever he trailed 5-4 earlier levelling and clinching nan decider pinch a 110 finish.

Gerwyn Price paid nan value for missing doubles arsenic he went down 6-3 to Van Gerwen, while Stephen Bunting remains without a constituent aft a 5th consecutive defeat, beaten 6-2 by Aspinall, who averaged 106.

Sky many times apologised to viewers aft their TV pictures trim retired astatine various stages during nan early portion of nan evening.

Final

Luke Littler 6-3 Nathan Aspinall

Semi-finals

Michael van Gerwen 2-6 Luke Littler

Rob Cross 5-6 Nathan Aspinall

Quarter-finals

Gerwyn Price 3-6 Michael van Gerwen

Luke Littler 6-5 Chris Dobey

Rob Cross 6-4 Luke Humphries

Stephen Bunting 2-6 Nathan Aspinall

Premier League Darts is played crossed 16 first weeks successful nan convention shape pinch quarter-finals, semi-finals and a last each night.

Each of nan 8 players is guaranteed to look nan different 7 successful nan quarter-finals successful weeks 1-7 and 9-15, pinch nan weeks 8 and 16 fixtures done disconnected nan table. It intends we will get 4th v 5th successful Sheffield connected nan last league-stage night, pinch nan play-off spots perchance connected nan line.

Players gain 2 points per quarter-final win, an further constituent if they triumph their semi-final and 5 for winning nan night.

The apical 4 players aft nan group shape advancement to nan play-off nighttime astatine London's O2 Arena connected 23 May, pinch first facing 4th and 2nd against 3rd successful a best-of-19-leg match. The final, which is nan champion of 21 legs, follows.

If players are level connected points aft nan 16 weeks past places are decided by nights won and past matches won.

Nottingham, 13 March, 19:00 GMT

Luke Humphries v Luke Littler

Rob Cross v Chris Dobey

Stephen Bunting v Gerwyn Price

Nathan Aspinall v Michael van Gerwen