Who are the Favorites to Win the Premier League This Season?

The 2024 Premer League Darts campaign is reaching its business end, and the planet's finest are all battling it out for a spot in the playoffs. With just five matchdays left between now and the showpiece at the O2 in London on May 23rd, there is truly no margin for error left, especially for those languishing toward the bottom of the table.

Two-time world champion Peter Wright looks all but eliminated. He has picked up just four points so far this term and is planted at the foot of the table. Also, former world champions Gerwyn Price and Rob Cross have their work cut out, sitting in seventh and sixth respectively, and an imposing 12 points away from a spot in the top four. At present it looks as though the fourth and final playoff spot will go to either reigning champion Michael van Gerwen or Michael Smith. The pair are positioned in fourth and fifth at the moment and are separated by just four points.

But while those men will battle it out just for the opportunity to feature on finals night, two men are the clear favorites for the crown.

Teenage sensation Luke Littler has taken the world by storm this year. Despite being just 16 years of age at the time, The Nuke captured the hearts of both fans and neutrals worldwide as he reached the World Darts Championship final back in January. And he has continued in a similar vain since, with online sports betting sites making him the +175 favorite to win the Premier League in his maiden year. And with the way that he has hit the ground running, it's unsurprising.

With the Premier League reaching the latter stages, Littler is currently at the top of the pile with 31 points. He has reached the final in each of the last four match weeks, winning the first two by defeating Nathan Aspinall in Belfast to secure maximum points and the Iceman the following week in Manchester. He also won Night 13 on enemy territory in Liverpool, rubbing the fans' noses in it in the process.

Many didn't know what to expect from the Nuke, especially considering his inexperience, and it took him a while to get his first win. Four consecutive semifinal exits didn't dampen his spirits, and now three wins in his last four make him the frontrunner for glory. Whether he can continue performing at the same blistering level will be imperative to any success he may be about to have.

The problem for Littler comes in the form of the man who defeated him in the World Championship final at the turn of the year, Luke Humphries. Cool Hand Luke has been in scintillating form over the last 12 months, rising to the top spot in the world rankings before claiming his maiden world championship crown. He is in second in the Premier League table, just five points behind Littler, and with three matchday victories under his belt.

However, back-to-back first-round exits on weeks nine and ten have seen him lose his place at the top of the table. He needs to rediscover his form if he is to break Littler's heart once again and he looks en route to doing so, picking up a couple of semifinal slots in recent weeks. He is a +200 second favorite behind the 17-year-old table topper.

One can never rule out 'Mighty' Michael van Gerwen. The Dutch sensation looked to be the heir to the darting throne following the retirement of Phl Taylor six years ago And initially, it looked like he would live up to the billing.

He won the World Championship for the third time in his career one year on from The Power's retirement and the world was at his feet. However, he has been unable to build upon that. The 35-year-old has made it to the Ally Pally final just once in the last three years and his stranglehold on the sport is no more. But one tournament he certainly remains the man to beat in is the Premier League.

Van Gerwen is the reigning back-to-back champion in the competition. He defeated long-time rival Gerwyn Price in the O2 Arena Showpiece last year, one year removed from defeating Joe Cullen to claim the coveted crown. He's halfway toward matching his best-ever run of four straight Premier League triumphs, an achievement he completed between 2016 and 2019.

So far this season, he has looked like a shadow of his former self. He started strong by competing in a three-peat of victories on nights two, three, and four however since then, he has gone off the boil. He lost in the opening round for four straight weeks following his impressive trifecta, and his sole win since then came on night 11 in Birmingham. The bookies have him priced as a +400 third favorite.