Reigning Darts World Champion Luke Littler became the first player to win five Premier League nights in a season on Thursday night, as he defeated Michael van Gerwen 6-4 in the final at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham.
A 102.5 average in the final was what it took to get the job done over the Dutchman, despite MVG initially taking control of the tie, winning the first two legs.
A uncharacteristic slow start to matches would haunt the 18-year-old throughout the night, with both his games on route to the final containing last-leg deciders. He came back from 4-2 down against Stephen Bunting in the quarter finals, before overcoming Nathan Aspinall’s 5-4 lead over him in the semi finals, with Aspinall missing seven match darts.
‘The Nuke’ spoke in his post-match press conference about the importance of self-belief when a game isn’t going your way, and how vital it is to mentally stay in the game when faced with adversity.
“You’ve got to believe in yourself, usually I’m the fast starter with the three or four nil leads, as I did against Michael last week. But even if you go two or three nil down, there’s still loads of legs to be played, and for myself you’ve just got to stay in the game.”
MVG’s defeat in the final means another Premier League night win evades the three-time World Champion, who’s yet to pick up a win this season. He last won a Premier League night back in April 2024, after defeating Littler 6-3 in Birmingham, in a game he labelled ‘crap’.
Meanwhile, it’s the reigning Premier League champion’s first win since night eight, and he spoke about how he felt making history, for the most night wins in a Premier League season, stating: “It feels amazing, but just setting records in the Premier League is great, it’s only my second year, and it’s also a good thing to be nine points clear at the top of the table.
“I won it last year, ‘why can’t I do it again?’, the points record could be broken but these next few weeks I’m just going to relax, and see where the darts land.”
Littler has now mathematically qualified for this years Play-Offs, and is ‘very confident’ he’ll remain at the top of the table, and play in the first semi-final, which are set to take place at London’s O2 on May 29.
Premier League Darts will continue next week, as night 14 takes place at Leeds’ First Direct Arena on Thursday, May 8.
Premier League Darts Night 13 Results (Birmingham)
Quarter Finals
Luke Littler 6-5 Stephen Bunting
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Chris Dobey
Luke Humphries 5-6 Gerwyn Price
Rob Cross 4-6 Michael van Gerwen
Semi Finals
Luke Littler 6-5 Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price 3-6 Michael van Gerwen
Final
Luke Littler 6-4 Michael van Gerwen