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 leading area.
Aspinall is on the edge of certifying after beating Chris Dobey 6-1 in the final 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 timeless against world primary Luke Humphries that included 14 180s.
Despite balancing 110.01, Humphries could not halt Littler, who balanced 115.96 to guarantee he would finish top of the league phase.
Defending champ Littler had actually already received the four-man play-offs in London on 29 May along 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 champion Michael van Gerwen into 4th area with a 6-3 victory over the Dutchman before dispatching Bunting 6-1 and going 4 points clear after his last victory.
If Van Gerwen does not declare the night win in Sheffield next week, Aspinall - who finished fifth in 2023 and 2024 - will declare the last play-off spot.
"All I have stated to my household, I don't want to come 5th again. I have actually put one foot in the finals. I play Michael [van Gerwen] once again next week and the pressure is on him," said the English gamer.
"It's a do or die video game. I conserve myself three hours of torment if I can beat him at 8pm, I'm going to the O2 which is a dream of mine. It remains in my hands."
Relive Aspinall's win on remarkable night in Aberdeen
Darts schedule, results, prize cash
29 May 2025
Littler beats Humphries in classic
Littler versus Humphries lived up to its billing as the pair provided an awesome quarter-final.
Humphries struck 9 optimums to his challenger's 5, however he could not stop Littler's charge.
In a match that completed in under 12 minutes, there were a total of 40 100-plus sees - 21 from Littler and 19 for Humphries.
Humphries started by hitting six perfect darts, while Littler needed just 10 to win the third leg.
"Are you joke me? This is an absolute joke," said Sky Sports expert Wayne Mardle in commentary.
"If this is your very first time viewing a darts match, this is not the standard."
Price strikes nine-darter however loses
For the second time in the Premier League this season, Price struck a nine-darter and lost.
He also produced a best leg when beaten by Littler in Manchester in April.
The 2021 world champ has the consolation of strolling off with another set of 18 carat gold darts from sponsors BetMGM, worth an estimated ₤ 30,000.
There have actually now been five nine-darters in this year's event. No previous edition of the competition has had more than 2.
Van Gerwen remains without a night win in 2025 and in serious threat of missing out on out on the play-offs for only the second time.
His only absence from the finals considering that his debut season in 2013 was available in 2020 when he finished 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, which shown important.
Rob Cross can not make the play-offs after a 6-2 loss to Dobey, who balanced 107 however 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 throughout 16 weeks in the league stage with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a last each night.
Each of the 8 players is ensured to deal with the other seven in the quarter-finals in weeks one to 7 and 9-15, with week eight and week 16 fixtures done off the table. It suggests we will get 4th v fifth in Sheffield on the final league-stage night, with the play-off spots potentially on the line.
Players make 2 points per quarter-final win, an additional point if they win their semi-final, and 5 for winning the night.
The leading 4 players after the group phase development to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with first facing fourth and second versus 3rd in best-of-19-leg matches. The final, which is the best 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