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 night which saw Gerwyn Price hit a nine-darter.
Dobey declared a decider to win his semi-final 6-5 versus world champion Littler, who earlier won a classic against world number one Luke Humphries that included 14 180s.
Despite balancing 110.01, Humphries might not halt Littler, who balanced 115.96 to guarantee he would finish top of the league stage.
Defending champ Littler had actually currently certified for the four-man play-offs in London on 29 May together with Humphries and Price.
Price hit his 2nd 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 4th area with a 6-3 success over the Dutchman before dispatching Bunting 6-1 and going 4 points clear after his last 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 actually stated to my family, I do not want to come 5th once 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 die video game. I conserve 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, prize money
29 May 2025
Littler beats Humphries in traditional
Littler versus Humphries lived up to its billing as the pair provided an awesome quarter-final.
Humphries struck nine optimums to his challenger's 5, but he could not stop Littler's charge.
In a match that finished in under 12 minutes, there were an overall of 40 100-plus check outs - 21 from Littler and 19 for Humphries.
Humphries started by striking 6 ideal darts, while Littler needed simply 10 to win the third leg.
"Are you kidding me? This is an outright joke," stated 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 however loses
For the second 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 estimated ₤ 30,000.
There have now been five nine-darters in this year's event. No previous edition of the competitors has had more than 2.
Van Gerwen remains without a night win in 2025 and in major risk of missing out on out on the play-offs for just the 2nd time.
His only absence from the finals given that his launching season in 2013 came 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, and that proved crucial.
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 8 players is ensured to face the other 7 in the quarter-finals in weeks one to 7 and 9-15, with week 8 and week 16 components done off the table. It means we will get fourth v fifth in Sheffield on the final league-stage night, with the play-off spots potentially 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 4 gamers after the group phase development to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with very first dealing with fourth and second against third in best-of-19-leg matches. The last, which is the best of 21 legs, follows.
If gamers are level on points after the 16 weeks then locations are chosen 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