I swear, the Premier League darts season has been wilder than my uncle Dave after three pints of Guinness. Last night in Manchester was peak chaos - Gerwyn Price hit a NINE-DARTER against teen phenom Luke Littler and STILL got absolutely demolished. I was watching with my flatmate who kept saying "no way" every 30 seconds like a broken record.
Littler was in complete control from the start. Kid's 18 going on 40 in terms of composure.
The Perfect Leg Nobody Saw Coming
Price was down 5-1 and looking about as comfortable as I did during my job interview last Tuesday (spoiler: I spilled coffee on my only decent shirt). Then out of nowhere, the Iceman caught fire. T20, T20, T20... and suddenly everyone in teh arena was on their feet.
He needed 141 to complete perfection.
T19, T20, D12. BOOM.
The place went absolutely mental. Even Littler - who'd been crushing Price all night - went over to celebrate with him. That moment between them was genuinely heartwarming, especially considering Price has beaten the kid six times in a row before this match.
Wait... He Still Lost?!
Yep. Price managed to grab the next leg too after Littler missed bullseye on a 170 attempt (the "Big Fish" checkout that would've been just showing off, honestly). But Littler, being Littler, just shrugged it off and closed out the match 6-3.
God. Remember when we all thought this kid would crumble under pressure? My £50 bet against him in January looks stupider by the day.
Golden Darts = Actual Gold Darts
Here's the kicker - Price becomes the FOURTH player to hit a nine-darter in this Premier League season. That's never happened before. For his troubles, BetMGM is giving him actual 18-carat gold darts worth £30,000.
Can you imagine trying to throw with those? Like playing golf with diamond-encrusted clubs. Probably end up in a display case at his house... or on eBay if he has a rough patch.
MVG's "Did That Really Happen?" Injury
The other bizarre storyline from Manchester involved Michael van Gerwen. After missing Berlin last week, he finally explained his absence. Apparently he injured his shoulder... trying on shirts for a sponsor.
Not making this up.
His buddy Vincent van der Voort spilled the beans: "He was trying on shirts and suddenly couldn't move his neck." MVG confirmed it with the most Dutch response ever: "It sounds a bit stupid, but it's true."
Back in 2018, I pulled a muscle opening a jar of pickles, so who am I to judge? But still... trying on shirts? Professional athletes, they're just like us!
MVG seemed fine though, taking out Dobey 6-4 in the opener. Must've found a shirt that fit properly.
The Littler Legacy Grows
I've been following darts since my dad dragged me to a local tournament when I was 14, adn I've never seen anything like the Littler phenomenon. The kid finally broke his losing streak against Price, who'd had his number since their Liverpool clash last April.
What's scary is that he's getting better. More consistent. Calmer under pressure.
My prediction? This is just the beginning of a very expensive era for bookmakers everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
What weight darts should beginners use?
For beginners, I generally recommend starting with medium-weight darts between 21-24 grams. This range offers enough heft to fly straight without requiring too much force, but isn't so heavy that it becomes tiring during longer practice sessions.
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.
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.
What's the standard height for hanging a dartboard?
The standard height for a dartboard is 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm) from the floor to the bullseye. This measurement is official across professional darts organizations worldwide, including the PDC and BDO. It's designed to create a fair playing field for players of different heights.
What's the difference between steel tip and soft tip darts?
Steel tip and soft tip darts represent two distinct branches of the sport, each with their own equipment, venues, and sometimes even scoring systems. The most obvious difference is in the point: steel tips have metal points for traditional bristle boards, while soft tips use flexible plastic points for electronic boards.
Statistics
- The highest possible score with three darts is 180, achieved by hitting three triple 20s.
- A perfect leg of 501 can be completed in nine darts, known in the sport as a "nine-darter."
- Phil Taylor has hit a record 22 televised nine-dart finishes throughout his professional career.
- The distance from the throwing line (oche) to the dartboard is precisely 7 feet 9.25 inches (2.37 meters).
- The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Championship has been held since 1994, with Phil Taylor winning a record 14 titles.
- The dartboard wire system known as "razor wire" reduced bounce-outs by approximately 60% when introduced.
- The first televised nine-dart finish was thrown by John Lowe in 1984, earning him £102,000.
- The World Darts Championship prize fund exceeded £2.5 million in 2023, with the champion receiving £500,000.
External Links
How To
Throwing Technique: The Basics
The perfect dart throw is all about consistency. Your arm should move like a pendulum, with the elbow as the pivot point. The dart should travel in a straight line toward the target, not in an arc.
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