Littler Triumphs As Brighton Sees 2 Nine-darters
6 March 2025
Luke Littler won night 5 of the Premier League in Brighton on an evening which saw two nine-dart finishes.
The 18-year-old claimed his 2nd night success of the year with a 6-3 win in the final over Nathan Aspinall.
Defending champ Littler struck five 180s as he triumphed again, four days after thrashing James Wade 11-2 to win the UK Open.
"I have actually constantly been confident in my own capability, but the way my darts are going at the minute, it's probably the finest I have actually ever used a consistent basis," Littler informed Sky Sports.
World number one Luke Humphries struck the very first Premier League nine-darter of 2025 in the quarter-finals but was beaten by Rob Cross, who went on to seal his own perfect leg against Aspinall before losing a decider.
The pair both receive a set of solid gold darts, worth an estimated ₤ 30,000 each, from league sponsors BetMGM.
Littler's triumph sees him cut the gap on league leader Humphries to two points from 7, with the pair meeting in Nottingham next week.
In a rematch of January's world last, where Littler end up being darts' youngest champion, he triumphed once again in Brighton with a 6-2 success over Michael van Gerwen in the semi-finals.
The Dutchman, a seven-time Premier League champ, has yet to make a last in this year's competitors.
All the action as it took place in Brighton
Humphries beats Littler to win Exeter final
27 February 2025
Humphries beaten despite nine-dart finish
Humphries hit the perfect leg with 2 180s before a 141 checkout to go 2-0 ahead against Cross.
But the 30-year-old, who was seeking his third nighttime win of the campaign, ended up losing 6-4 to his fellow Englishman.
It was the 17th perfect leg in the Premier League considering that its creation in 2005.
But 2018 world champion Cross struck 7 180s of his own and averaged 111.19 as he got the victory.
Littler was far from his best in his opener versus Chris Dobey, where he tracked 5-4 before levelling and clinching the decider with a 110 surface.
Gerwyn Price paid the cost for missing functions as he decreased 6-3 to Van Gerwen, while Stephen Bunting stays without a point after a fifth consecutive defeat, beaten 6-2 by Aspinall, who 106.
Sky consistently apologised to viewers after their TV images cut out at numerous stages throughout the early part of the night.
Premier League Darts Night 5 outcomes
Luke Littler 6-3 Nathan Aspinall
Michael van Gerwen 2-6 Luke Littler
Rob Cross 5-6 Nathan Aspinall
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 across 16 preliminary weeks in the league phase with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final each night.
Each of the eight players is guaranteed to face the other seven in the quarter-finals in weeks 1-7 and 9-15, with the weeks 8 and 16 components done off the table. It means we will get fourth v 5th in Sheffield on the final league-stage night, with the play-off areas possibly on the line.
Players earn two points per quarter-final win, an extra point if they win their semi-final and 5 for winning the night.
The top four players after the group phase development to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with very first dealing with 4th and 2nd versus 3rd in a best-of-19-leg match. The last, which is the finest of 21 legs, follows.
Premier League Darts Night 6 order of play
Nottingham, 13 March, 19:00 GMT
Luke Humphries v Luke Littler
Rob Cross v Chris Dobey
Stephen Bunting v Gerwyn Price