God. I've been absolutely glued to my screen every Thursday night since February. Premier League Darts has consumed my life for 10 weeks already, and we're barely past the halfway mark. The missus thinks I've lost it. Maybe I have.
Last year's fairytale ending with teenage phenom Luke Littler lifting the trophy still feels surreal. The kid (well, he's 18 now) pocketed a cool £315,000 for his troubles - more than I've made in the last three years combined! And now he's hunting for something even rarer than that payday: joining the elite club of back-to-back Premier League champions. Only Phil "The Power" Taylor and Michael van Gerwen have managed that feat before.
Belfast's Bizarre Night One Twist
The tournament kicked off at Belfast Arena with absolute chaos. I'd put a tenner on Littler to start strong, but MVG had other ideas, squeaking past him 6-5 in a quarter-final thriller. My mate Dave texted me immediately: "There goes your beer money!" Thanks for teh reminder, pal.
Luke Humphries ended up demolishing Chris Dobey 6-1 in the final. Not exactly edge-of-your-seat stuff by that point.
Who knew Glasgow would change EVERYTHING?
Night Two at the OVO Hydro turned everything upside down. Littler found his groove, taking down Rob Cross in a nail-biter before absolutely schooling MVG 6-2 in the semis. Then came the final against Humphries...
I nearly spilled my entire pint when Littler snatched that deciding leg. 6-5! The crowd went absolutely mental. My neighbor banged on the wall because I was shouting so loud. Worth it.
From there, it's been like watching a rollercoaster designed by someone with serious attention issues.
The Standings After Manchester's Madness
After ten grueling nights of arrows, here's where things stand:
Littler's sitting pretty at the top with 25 points. The kid's won FOUR night titles already! Humphries is breathing down his neck with 23 points and two wins. Then there's a bit of a gap to MVG and Price (both on 17 points with one win each), while Aspinall just grabbed his first night win in Manchester to reach 15 points.
Bunting's hanging in there with 12 points after that shock Berlin victory (still can't believe he pulled that off), while Cross and Dobey are fighting to avoid the wooden spoon with 9 and 7 points respectively.
Manchester's Hometown Hero Moment
I actually splurged on tickets for Night Ten at the AO Arena. Cost me £85 plus booking fees that were daylight robbery, but seeing Aspinall win on home turf? Priceless.
The atmosphere was electric when he walked out. You could feel the floor vibrating. When he knocked out MVG 6-2 in the semis, this woman two rows ahead literally jumped so high she spilled someone else's drink. Poor bloke. His expression: "Are you kidding me right now?"
Aspinall taking down Humphries 6-4 in the final sent the place into absolute meltdown. I lost my voice for two days afterward.
Rotterdam Looms...
Night 11 heads to Rotterdam Ahoy tomorrow night. MVG on home soil is always a spectacle - like watching a rock star at his own concert. Back in 2019, I watched him enter to that "Seven Nation Army" chant and nearly went deaf from the noise.
The Dutch crowd is... different. They drink Heineken like it's water and turn the place into something between a football match and a rave. I've already warned my boss I might be "under the weather" on Friday morning.
Littler vs Cross is the quarter-final I'm most excited for. They've had some absolute barnburners lately.
Can Anyone Stop The Luke Show?
With seven nights left before the O2 playoffs, Littler's looking unstoppable. The way he dismantled Humphries 6-1 in Newcastle was borderline disrespectful. The commentator called it "a masterclass in tungsten terrorism" which made me snort-laugh so hard I woke up my dog.
Listen. I've watched darts for 15 years and I've never seen anyone adapt mid-match like this kid. He'll be struggling, then suddenly flip a switch and hit 180-180-141 checkout like he's playing against his little brother.
MVG's looking dangerous though. That rivalry with Littler is getting spicy - they've played four times in the Premier League already with two wins apiece. If they meet at the O2, I might need medical assistance from the tension.
I've already booked May 29th off work for the playoffs. My colleague asked why and I told him "family emergency" with a completely straight face. His response: "In advance?" Whoops.
Seven more Thursdays of this madness to go. My liver is already filing for divorce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth spending more money on expensive darts?
The question of dart investment really depends on your commitment level and budget. You don't need to spend a fortune, but there's definitely a quality threshold worth crossing.
My darts keep bouncing out of the board. What am I doing wrong?
Bounce-outs are incredibly frustrating, but they're usually caused by one of a few common issues. First, check your dartboard—if it's old and dried out, even the best throws will struggle to stick. Quality sisal boards should last years, but cheaper paper-wound boards harden quickly. If you can press your thumbnail into the board and it doesn't leave a small indent, it's too hard.
I keep hitting 5s and 1s when aiming for 20s. How do I fix this?
This is probably the most common frustration in darts—those dreaded 5s and 1s when you're aiming for the 20 segment! The good news is that this specific problem usually stems from a few identifiable issues.
How far should I stand from the dartboard?
The official throwing distance is 7 feet 9¼ inches (2.37 meters) measured from the face of the board to the oche (throwing line). In American darts, this distance is sometimes 8 feet, so check local rules if you're playing in the States.
How do I practice darts effectively if I'm playing alone?
Solo practice doesn't have to be boring—in fact, it's often more productive than casual games with friends. The key is having structured practice routines that target specific skills rather than just throwing randomly at the board.
What are "flights" and "stems" and do they really matter?
Flights and stems (also called shafts) are the components that stabilize your dart during flight, and yes, they absolutely matter—though perhaps not in the way beginners often think.
Statistics
- A professional dart weighs between 18-50 grams, with most players preferring 21-24 gram darts.
- The standard height from the floor to the bullseye on a dartboard is 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 meters).
- The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Championship has been held since 1994, with Phil Taylor winning a record 14 titles.
- The Women's World Darts Championship was established in 2001, with Trina Gulliver winning 10 titles.
- Phil Taylor has hit a record 22 televised nine-dart finishes throughout his professional career.
- In 2016, Michael van Gerwen set a world record for the highest three-dart average in a major tournament at 123.40.
- Research shows that top professional dart players achieve accuracy rates of over 80% when aiming at treble 20.
- The distance from the throwing line (oche) to the dartboard is precisely 7 feet 9.25 inches (2.37 meters).
External Links
How To
Aiming Systems & Practice Routines
When I first started, I would just aim at whatever number I needed. But after watching some YouTube tutorials in 2018, I learned about the "clock" system. Imagine the board as a clock face. If you're aiming for the 20, but hit the 5, you're throwing too far to the right (clockwise). Adjust accordingly.
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