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Current season, competition or edition: 2025 Premier League Darts | |
Founded | 2005 |
---|---|
First season | 2005 |
Organising body | PDC |
Countries | United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands, Germany |
Most recent champion(s) | Luke Littler (2024) |
Tournament format | Legs |
2025 Premier League Darts |
Premier League Darts, known for sponsorship purposes in 2024 as BetMGM Premier League Darts, is a darts tournament which launched on 20 January 2005 on Sky Sports. Now played weekly from February to May, the event originally started as a fortnightly fixture in small venues around the United Kingdom. The tournament originally featured seven players, gradually expanded to ten by 2013, before reduced again from 2022 to eight players from the Professional Darts Corporation circuit competing in a knockout style format, with nights also hosted in Europe at different venues. The top four players in the PDC Order of Merit are joined by four wildcard selections to make up the eight-person field. Alongside the World Championship and the World Matchplay, it is considered part of the sport's Triple Crown.
While active, Phil Taylor dominated the event, winning six of the thirteen tournaments he appeared in. He went unbeaten throughout the first three seasons before James Wade ended his 44 match run in the first match of the 2008 season. A new champion was to be crowned after Mervyn King defeated him in the 2009 semi-finals, where Wade defeated King 13–8 in the final, to pick up the £125,000 first prize. Taylor defeated Wade the following season to claim his fifth title in the competition in 2010, achieving two nine-dart finishes in the final, the only player to achieve this accomplishment.
Although there have been eight overall winners of the Premier League, the league stage has been dominated by Taylor and Michael van Gerwen, with Taylor topping the table for each of the first eight editions and van Gerwen winning the next seven. In 2020, Glen Durrant became the third player to finish top after all league fixtures had been completed. He went on to win the title, meaning all three players both topped the table and won the play-offs at their first attempt. In 2024, this feat was then repeated by Luke Littler who became the fourth player to both top the table following the completion of the league stage and then win the play-offs on their debut Premier League appearance.
The prize fund has risen from £265,000 in the early years of the tournament, steadily increasing each year for a prize fund of £1,000,000 in 2022. The winner currently receives £275,000.
The matches have been broadcast on Thursday nights on Sky Sports since the tournament inception. Originally the league alternated with Premier League Snooker one week and Premier League Darts the next. From 2006, the snooker moved to late autumn – giving the Premier League darts a straight weekly run in the spring.
American sports channel OLN aired the 2006 Premier League Darts season on a slight delay, in August 2006. In 2018, BBC America started airing Premier League Darts on Thursday nights. In 2020, BBC America started airing Premier League Darts on Sunday mornings.
German sports channel Sport1 broadcasts most matches live on TV and gives coverages of a selection of matches.
The PDC announced in December 2017 that the contract with Sky Television for coverage of the Premier League had been extended to 2025. [1]
Rank | Player | Won | Runner-up | Finals | Appearances |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Michael van Gerwen | 7 | 2 | 9 | 11 |
2 | Phil Taylor | 6 | 2 | 8 | 13 |
3 | Gary Anderson | 2 | 0 | 2 | 11 |
4 | James Wade | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 |
5 | Raymond van Barneveld | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14 |
Glen Durrant | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
Jonny Clayton | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
Luke Littler | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
9 | Colin Lloyd | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Roland Scholten | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
Terry Jenkins | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
Mervyn King | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Adrian Lewis | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | |
Simon Whitlock | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
Peter Wright | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 | |
Michael Smith | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
Rob Cross | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
Nathan Aspinall | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
José de Sousa | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Joe Cullen | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Gerwyn Price | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
Luke Humphries | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Country | Players | Total | First title | Last title |
---|---|---|---|---|
England | 4 | 9 | 2005 | 2024 |
Netherlands | 2 | 8 | 2013 | 2023 |
Scotland | 1 | 2 | 2011 | 2015 |
Wales | 1 | 1 | 2021 | 2021 |
Sixteen nine-dart finishes have been thrown in the Premier League. The first one was in 2006, and the most recent one was in 2024.
Player | Year (+ Week) | Location | Method | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raymond van Barneveld | 2006, Week 5 | Bournemouth | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Peter Manley | 8–3 |
Raymond van Barneveld | 2010, Week 12 | Aberdeen | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Terry Jenkins | 8–6 |
Phil Taylor | 2010, Final | London | T20, 2 x T19; 3 x T20; T20, T17, D18 | James Wade | 10–8 |
3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | |||||
Phil Taylor | 2012, Week 2 | Aberdeen | 3 x T20; T20, 2 x T19; T20, T17, D18 | Kevin Painter | 8–5 |
Simon Whitlock | 2012, Semi-Final | London | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T15, D18 | Andy Hamilton | 8–6 |
Adrian Lewis | 2016, Week 11 | Belfast | 3 x T20; 2 x T20, T19; 2 x T20, D12 | James Wade | 7–5 |
Adrian Lewis | 2017, Week 11 | Liverpool | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Raymond van Barneveld | 7–4 |
Michael Smith | 2020, Week 4 | Dublin | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Daryl Gurney | 7–5 |
Peter Wright | 2020, Night 11 | Milton Keynes | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Daryl Gurney | 6–8 |
Jonny Clayton | 2021, Night 3 | Milton Keynes | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | José de Sousa | 7–3 |
José de Sousa | 2021, Night 4 | Milton Keynes | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Nathan Aspinall | 6–6 |
Gerwyn Price | 2022, Night 3 | Belfast | 2 x T20, T19; 3 x T20; 2 x T20, D12 | Michael van Gerwen | 6–5 |
3 x T20; 3 x T20; T19, T20, D12 | James Wade | 6–4 | |||
2024, Night 10 | Manchester | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T19, T20, D12 | Michael Smith | 6–3 | |
Luke Littler | 2024, Final | London | 3 x T20, 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | Luke Humphries | 11–7 |
Year | Player | Legs | Player |
---|---|---|---|
2007 | 87.32 Terry Jenkins | 0–8 | Colin Lloyd 88.43 |
2008 | 96.97 Phil Taylor | 8–0 | Wayne Mardle 88.43 |
2012 | 96.97 James Wade | 8–0 | Simon Whitlock 80.79 |
2014 | 99.45 Phil Taylor | 0–7 | Michael van Gerwen 109.59 |
2015 | 93.93 James Wade | 0–7 | Michael van Gerwen 116.90 |
2016 | 75.68 Robert Thornton | 0–7 | Dave Chisnall 101.16 |
2016 | 88.38 Robert Thornton | 0–7 | Phil Taylor 102.15 |
2017 | 94.53 Adrian Lewis | 0–7 | Michael van Gerwen 110.75 |
2018 | 96.58 Raymond van Barneveld | 0–7 | Michael Smith 103.15 |
2019 | 94.45 Daryl Gurney | 0–7 | James Wade 109.59 |
2020 | 81.24 Jermaine Wattimena | 0–7 | Gerwyn Price 102.15 |
2021 | 84.42 Glen Durrant | 0–7 | Dimitri Van den Bergh 93.94 |
2022 | 99.10 Michael van Gerwen | 6–0 | Peter Wright 87.52 |
2023 | 100.36 Michael van Gerwen | 0–6 | Chris Dobey 101.33 |
2023 | 100.20 Michael van Gerwen | 6–0 | Nathan Aspinall 93.00 |
Ten highest Premier League one-match averages | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Average | Player | Year (+ Round) | Opponent | Result |
123.40 | Michael van Gerwen | 2016, Week 4 | Michael Smith | 7–1 |
119.50 | Peter Wright | 2017, Week 5 | Adrian Lewis | 7–2 |
117.95 | Michael van Gerwen | 2016, Week 10 | Robert Thornton | 7–5 |
117.35 | Phil Taylor | 2012, Week 4 | Simon Whitlock | 8–4 |
116.90 | Michael van Gerwen | 2015, Week 12 | James Wade | 7–0 |
116.67 | Michael van Gerwen | 2016, Week 5 | Peter Wright | 7–2 |
116.10 | Phil Taylor | 2012, Week 13 | James Wade | 8–1 |
116.01 | Phil Taylor | 2009, Week 12 | John Part | 8–3 |
115.97 | Gerwyn Price | 2023, Week 11 | Chris Dobey | 6–2 |
115.80 | Phil Taylor | 2015, Week 7 | Raymond van Barneveld | 4–7 |
Five highest tournament averages | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Average | Player | Year | ||
107.48 | Michael van Gerwen | 2016 | ||
106.73 | Phil Taylor | 2012 | ||
105.26 | Michael van Gerwen | 2015 | ||
104.68 | Michael van Gerwen | 2017 | ||
104.11 | Michael van Gerwen | 2018 |
Since the tournament made its debut in 2005, Phil Taylor made an appearance in every Premier League competition until his retirement following the 2018 PDC World Darts Championship. Raymond van Barneveld competed in every Premier League from 2006 to 2019. From 2005 until the 2010 tournament, the top six players in the PDC Order of Merit after the PDC World Darts Championship automatically qualified, with one wildcard (2005 and 2006) and two wildcards (2007–2010) chosen by either the PDC or Sky Sports. From the 2011 tournament, only the top four in the PDC Order of Merit automatically qualified, with four wildcards (2011 and 2012) chosen by both the PDC and Sky Sports. In 2013, the tournament grew from eight players to ten, with the top four players in the PDC Order of Merit automatically qualifying and six other players chosen as Wildcards on the basis of their performance in the past year or in earlier editions of the Premier League. In 2022, the tournament shrank back down to eight.
In 2024, both Luke Humphries and Luke Littler have made their debuts, with Littler, aged 17 years and 11 days when the 2024 campaign began, the youngest ever competitor in the Premier League. Littler would also become the youngest player to win the Premier League, aged 17 years and 123 days.
Player | # | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Phil Taylor | 13 | W | W | W | W | SF | W | SF | W | RU | SF | 5 | RU | SF | × | |||||||
Colin Lloyd | 3 | RU | SF | 5 | × | |||||||||||||||||
Peter Manley | 4 | SF | 6 | 6 | 6 | × | ||||||||||||||||
Roland Scholten | 3 | SF | RU | 8 | × | |||||||||||||||||
Mark Dudbridge | 1 | 5 | × | |||||||||||||||||||
John Part | 3 | 6 | × | 8 | 6 | × | ||||||||||||||||
Wayne Mardle | 4 | 7 | 7 | × | 5 | WD | × | |||||||||||||||
Raymond van Barneveld | 14 | × | SF | SF | SF | SF | 6 | SF | 5 | SF | W | SF | 7 | 6 | 6 | 9 | × | |||||
Ronnie Baxter | 2 | × | 5 | × | 5 | × | ||||||||||||||||
Terry Jenkins | 5 | × | RU | 7 | 5 | 8 | 7 | × | ||||||||||||||
Dennis Priestley | 1 | × | SF | × | C | × | ||||||||||||||||
Adrian Lewis | 10 | × | 7 | SF | C | 7 | RU | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 | SF | 8 | × | ||||||||
James Wade | 12 | × | RU | W | RU | 5 | SF | SF | × | 7 | 6 | 7 | × | SF | × | 6 | SF | × | ||||
Mervyn King | 2 | × | RU | SF | × | |||||||||||||||||
Jelle Klaasen | 2 | × | 7 | × | 9 | × | ||||||||||||||||
Simon Whitlock | 6 | × | SF | 6 | RU | 6 | 10 | × | 8 | × | ||||||||||||
Gary Anderson | 11 | × | C | × | W | 8 | 10 | SF | W | SF | SF | SF | WD | SF | 8 | 8 | × | |||||
Mark Webster | 1 | × | C | × | 8 | × | ||||||||||||||||
Andy Hamilton | 2 | × | SF | 7 | × | |||||||||||||||||
Kevin Painter | 1 | × | 7 | × | ||||||||||||||||||
Michael van Gerwen | 13 | × | W | RU | RU | W | W | W | W | 6 | SF | W | W | SF | – | |||||||
Robert Thornton | 3 | × | C | × | 5 | 8 | × | 8 | × | |||||||||||||
Wes Newton | 2 | × | 9 | 9 | × | |||||||||||||||||
Peter Wright | 11 | × | 5 | 9 | 5 | RU | 7 | 8 | SF | 7 | 5 | 8 | 8 | × | ||||||||
Dave Chisnall | 4 | × | 7 | SF | 9 | 5 | × | |||||||||||||||
Stephen Bunting | 2 | × | 8 | × | C | × | – | |||||||||||||||
Kim Huybrechts | 2 | × | 10 | × | 10 | × | ||||||||||||||||
Michael Smith | 7 | × | 10 | × | RU | 7 | 7 | × | 6 | SF | SF | × | ||||||||||
Rob Cross | 6 | × | SF | RU | 9 | 9 | × | 6 | – | |||||||||||||
Daryl Gurney | 3 | × | 5 | SF | 8 | × | ||||||||||||||||
Mensur Suljović | 2 | × | 9 | 6 | × | |||||||||||||||||
Gerwyn Price | 7 | × | 10 | 5 | 5 | WD | 7 | RU | 7 | – | ||||||||||||
Nathan Aspinall | 5 | × | C | RU | SF | × | 5 | 5 | – | |||||||||||||
Glen Durrant | 2 | × | C | W | 10 | × | ||||||||||||||||
Dimitri Van den Bergh | 2 | × | C | × | 5 | × | 6 | × | ||||||||||||||
Jonny Clayton | 3 | × | C | W | SF | SF | × | |||||||||||||||
José de Sousa | 1 | × | RU | × | ||||||||||||||||||
Joe Cullen | 1 | × | RU | × | ||||||||||||||||||
Chris Dobey | 2 | × | C | C | × | 7 | × | – | ||||||||||||||
Luke Humphries | 2 | × | C | C | × | RU | – | |||||||||||||||
Luke Littler | 2 | × | W | – |
Table Legend | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | Won in playoffs | RU | Runner-up | SF | Lost in the semi-finals | # | Place in table, not qualified for playoffs | ||
# | Place in table, relegated | WD | Withdrew before tournament | WD | Withdrew during tournament | C | Challenger | × | Did not play |
When Gary Anderson withdrew from the 2019 season just before it began, Chris Dobey, Glen Durrant, Steve Lennon, Luke Humphries, John Henderson, Nathan Aspinall, Max Hopp, Dimitri Van den Bergh and Jeffrey de Zwaan were named as "contenders" to play in Anderson's place each of the first eight weeks. [5] [6] This format was reused for the 2020 season, with nine regular players and nine challengers; Henderson, Fallon Sherrock, Jonny Clayton, William O'Connor, Humphries, Bunting, Dobey, de Zwaan and Jermaine Wattimena were the challengers.
Philip Douglas Taylor is an English former professional darts player. Nicknamed "The Power", he dominated darts across three decades and is widely considered the greatest darts player of all time, having won 214 professional tournaments, including a record 85 major titles and a record 16 World Championships. In 2015, the BBC rated Taylor among the ten greatest British sportsmen of the last 35 years.
Raymond van Barneveld is a Dutch professional darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where he is currently ranked world number thirty-four, having been the world number one from January 2008 to June 2008. Nicknamed "Barney", although originally known as "The Man", he is a five-time World Champion. van Barneveld is also a two-time UK Open champion, and a former winner of the Las Vegas Desert Classic, the Grand Slam and the Premier League. He is also a two-time World Masters winner, and a former World Darts Trophy champion. He is a three-time winner of both the International Darts League, the Dutch Open, and the WDF World Cup singles event.
The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) is a professional darts organisation in the United Kingdom, established in 1992 when a group of leading players split from the British Darts Organisation (BDO) to form what was initially called the World Darts Council (WDC). Sports promoter Eddie Hearn is the PDC chairman.
Adrian Lewis is an English professional darts player who formerly played in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. Nicknamed "Jackpot", Lewis is a two-time PDC World Champion, having won the title in 2011 and 2012. Lewis also won the European Championship in 2013 and the UK Open in 2014.
James Martin Wade is an English professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where he is currently ranked world number fifteen, having reached a peak of world number two in 2010. He became the youngest player to win a major PDC title when he won the 2007 World Matchplay at age 24. This record has since been broken by Michael van Gerwen and Luke Littler. Wade has won eleven PDC majors, third in the all-time list behind Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen.
The PDC World Darts Championship, known for sponsorship purposes as the Paddy Power World Darts Championship is a world championship competition held annually in the sport of darts. The championship begins in December and ends in January and has been held at Alexandra Palace in London, since 2008. Organised by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), it is the most prestigious of their tournaments, with the winner receiving the Sid Waddell Trophy, named in honour of the darts commentator Sid Waddell. Along with the Premier League Darts and World Matchplay, it is part of the Triple Crown.
The World Masters is a darts tournament, initially organised by the British Darts Organisation from 1974 and later by the World Darts Federation. It is one of the longest-running and most prestigious of the BDO/WDF tournaments. The tournament was originally sponsored by Phonogram before changing its sponsor in 1975 to darts board manufacturer, Winmau. The World Masters was originally contested as the best of 5 legs before later transitioning to the set format.
Michael van Gerwen is a Dutch professional darts player, who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He is currently ranked world number three, having been the world number one from 2014 to 2021. He is also a three-time PDC World Champion, having won the title in 2014, 2017 and 2019. van Gerwen has won 47 premier singles events in all, having won the World Matchplay, UK Open and Grand Slam each three times, he is a six-time World Grand Prix champion, a seven-time Premier League Darts and Players Championship Finals winner, a five-time winner of both the PDC Masters and World Series Finals, a four-time European Champion and the winner of the 2019 Champions League of Darts. He is also a three-time PDC World Cup of Darts champion, partnering Raymond van Barneveld for the Netherlands.
Gary James Grant Anderson is a Scottish professional darts player who plays Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where he is currently ranked world number fourteen, having reached a peak of world number two from 2015 to 2016. Nicknamed "The Flying Scotsman", after the famous steam train, he is a former BDO and WDF world number one, and a two-time PDC World Champion, having won the title in 2015 and 2016. He is regarded as one of the best darts players of all time.
Simon Whitlock is an Australian professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, having also played in British Darts Organisation (BDO) events from 2004 to 2009. Nicknamed "The Wizard", his walk-on music is Down Under" by Men at Work.
Stephen Bunting is an English professional darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where he is currently ranked world number five.
Peter Stuart Wright is a Scottish professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where he is currently ranked world number twelve, having been the world number one on two occasions in 2022. Nicknamed "Snakebite", he is a two-time world champion, having won the PDC World Darts Championship in 2020 and 2022. He also won the World Matchplay in 2021.
Michael Smith is an English professional darts player. Nicknamed "Bully Boy", he plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where he is currently ranked world number seventeen, having been the world number one during the 2023 season. He is a former PDC World Champion, having won the 2023 World Championship.
Christopher Dobey is an English professional darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where he is currently ranked world number ten. Nicknamed "Hollywood", Dobey has won 5 ranking PDC titles and was the 2023 Masters champion. He reached the semi-finals at the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship, the Players Championship Finals and World Grand Prix both in 2019, and the 2022 European Championship. He also reached the quarter-finals at the 2016 Grand Slam, the 2023 World Matchplay, and the 2024 World Series Finals.
The 2018 William Hill World Darts Championship was a darts event, held between 14 December 2017 and 1 January 2018 at the Alexandra Palace in London, United Kingdom. It was the 25th World Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation since it separated from the British Darts Organisation.
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The 2020 PDC World Darts Championship was the 27th World Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation since it separated from the British Darts Organisation. The event took place at Alexandra Palace in London from 13 December 2019 to 1 January 2020.
The 2020 Unibet Premier League Darts was a darts tournament organised by the Professional Darts Corporation – the sixteenth edition of the tournament. The event began on Thursday 6 February at the P&J Live in Aberdeen and ended with the Play-offs at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on Thursday 15 October, after a delay was caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Triple Crown refers to winning the three most prestigious tournaments in the Professional Darts Corporation: the World Championship, the World Matchplay and the Premier League. Players who win all three tournaments over the course of their career are said to have won the PDC Triple Crown.
The 2025 Premier League Darts, also known as the BetMGM Premier League Darts for sponsorship reasons, is an upcoming darts tournament, organised by the Professional Darts Corporation – the twenty-first edition of the tournament. The event will begin on Thursday 6 February 2025, at the SSE Arena in Belfast, and will conclude with the play-offs, at The O2 Arena in London on Thursday 29 May 2025.