Premier League Finals Night: Everything you need to know as Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith battle for glory
Everything you need to know ahead of Premier League Darts Finals Night on Thursday May 23 as Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith battle for victory – live on Sky Sports
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Luke Littler and Jose de Sousa have both hit sensational 120 finishes in the Premier League but who did it better?
Ahead of Premier League Finals Night, we take you through everything you need to know as the competition reaches its climax…
When is Finals Night?
Premier League Finals Night takes place on Thursday May 23 at London’s O2 Arena, which you can watch live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action from 7pm.
- Smith clinches play-off spot and takes victory in Sheffield
- Wright spills drink after Littler’s outrageous triple tops finish
- Stream Premier League Darts and more with NOW
The O2 Arena will transform as tens of thousands of darts fans descend to see one of Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith be crowned the champion for 2024.
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Peter Wright couldn’t believe his eyes after Littler produced a ridiculous 120 finish in the early stages of their Premier League clash
What is the format?
Finals Night is a longer format than the best of 11 legs we see in the regular rounds, with each semi-final contested over 19 legs before a final that is the best of 21 legs.
Premier League Finals Night: Fixtures
| Semi finals (best of 19 legs) | ||
| Luke Littler | vs | Michael Smith |
| Luke Humphries | vs | Michael van Gerwen |
| Final (best of 21 legs) | ||
| Littler/Smith | vs | Humphries/Van Gerwen |
Due to being first and second in the standings, Littler and Humphries will throw first in their semi-finals.
The order of the throw in the final will then be decided by a bull-off in the practice room.
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What is the prize?
The prize fund for the entire competition is £1,000,000, with Peter Wright taking home £60,000, Gerwyn Price £65,000, Rob Cross £70,000, and Nathan Aspinall £75,000.
Prize Fund
| Winner: | £275,000 |
| Runner-up: | £275,000 |
| Semi-finalists: | £85,000 |
| Fifth place: | £75,000 |
| Sixth place: | £70,000 |
| Seventh place: | £65,000 |
| Eighth place: | £60,000 |
| Weekly Winner Bonus: | £10,000 |
| Total: | £1,000,000 |
Each of the four semi-finalists are then guaranteed £85,000, with the runner-up taking home £125,000 and the winner claiming £275,000.
There was also a weekly winner bonus of £10,000, which Humphries , van Gerwen and Littler have pocketed on four occasions, Smith twice.
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Luke Humphries set the Sheffield crowd alight with a sensational 170 checkout in the final
Who are the previous winners?
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Check out how Michael van Gerwen won a record-breaking seventh Premier League title in style in 2023
Some people have dominated this format, but none more than van Gerwen who has took home the win on a record seven occasions.
The Green Machine took victory in 2013 before completing four in a row in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.
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Record-breaker Van Gerwen secures his seventh Premier League title after defeating Gerwyn Price in the final in London
He then was also victorious in 2022 and 2023, beating Price in last year’s final.
Jonny Clayton, Glenn Durrant, Raymond van Barneveld, Gary Anderson, Phil Taylor and James Wade have also won since the Premier League’s inception in 2005.
Have there been any nine-darters?
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Ahead of the 2024 Premier League Play-Offs in London, take a look back at one of the best games ever played as Phil Taylor took on James Wade at Wembley Arena
There have been a total of 15 nine-dart finishes in Premier League history with three of them coming on Finals Night.
The legendary Taylor famously threw TWO of them in the same match when he beat Wade 10-8 in arguably the greatest final of them all.
‘The Power’ went 180, 180 and then completed the first by finishing off T20, T17 and D18 before going the more traditional route later in the clash with 180, 180, T20, T19 and D12 for a moment of pure greatness.
The other nine-darter was struck by ‘The Wizard’ Simon Whitlock during his semi-final victory against Andy Hamilton as the Australian pinned the holy grail with 180, 180, T20, T15 and D18.
Every Premier League nine-darter
Raymond van Barneveld vs Peter Manley – March 2006
Raymond van Barneveld vs Terry Jenkins – April 2010
Phil Taylor vs James Wade – May 2010
Phil Taylor vs James Wade – May 2010
Phil Taylor vs Kevin Painter – February 2012
Simon Whitlock vs Andy Hamilton – May 2012
Adrian Lewis vs James Wade – April 2016
Adrian Lewis vs Raymond van Barneveld – April 2017
Michael Smith vs Daryl Gurney – February 2020
Peter Wright vs Daryl Gurney – August 2020
Jonny Clayton vs Jose de Sousa – April 2021
Jose de Sousa vs Nathan Aspinall – April 2021
Gerwyn Price vs Michael van Gerwen – February 2022
Gerwyn Price vs James Wade – February 2022
Gerwyn Price vs Michael Smith – April 2024
Smith to defeat Littler? Predictions…
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Michael Smith takes out a 156 and 120 to fight back against Littler in their Sheffield semi-final
Sky Sports’ Megan Wellens…
“As we have seen throughout the entirety of this Premier League season, bet against one of these players and they will go out of their way to prove you wrong.
“This may be a shock to some, but I find it hard to overlook Smith’s impressive record against Littler in the Premier League.
“He is in the rhythm of beating the 17-year-old sensation and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him do it again at the O2.
“I then think he will play Humphries once again in the final, but this time, the world No 1 will come out on top.
“If this year has taught us anything about Humphries, it is that he knows how to stay calm on the big stage, not fret if the game is getting away from him, and win from anywhere.
“Humphries, Premier league champion 2024 – wouldn’t be bad for a debut year, would it?”
Never count out MVG
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Van Gerwen proved a point to Littler by finishing off the youngster’s nine-darter by hitting a 144
Sky Sports’ Raz Mirza…
“When it comes to the crunch you can never count out ‘Mighty Mike’ – he’s a seven-time defending champion after all!
“Last year pundits and darting aficionados said he was never going to win at the O2, but on the night, he was on fire.
“It’s very different this year when you throw in the Lukes and ‘Bully Boy’ – we could be in for the greatest Premier League night of them all – and don’t rule out not one nine-darter, but the potential of a couple should they all turn up to the party.
“Littler has been a breath of fresh air. The kid is simply unbelievable, and if he wins it, you can’t argue with the fact that he’s the sports most naturally gifted player… since MVG! Humphries is a winning machine, while you just don’t know which Smith which turn up.
“I’m backing Van Gerwen because of his experience in dealing with the opposition on Finals Night and because he wants to show Littler, Humphries and Smith why he’s still the very best in the business.”
Premier League Darts reaches it’s climax at the Play-Offs at the O2 Arena in London on Thursday, May 23. Stream the darts and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.
Sourse: skysports.com