Schedule Night Eight Premier League Darts 2025: Van Gerwen v Aspinall and Dobey's homecoming headline in Newcastle

Thursday, 27 March 2025 at 18:18

We are exactly halfway through the league phase in the Premier League Darts 2025 today. The eighth round of play will be played Thursday night at the Utilita Arena in the English city of Newcastle.

As in past years, the draw for this round of play is based on the positions of the players in the Premier League Darts standings. The number one faces the number eight, the number two meets the number seven, the number three plays against the number six, while the numbers four and five also cross swords in the quarter-finals.
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The Utilita Arena, formerly known as the Metro Radio Arena, has been a fixture of the Premier League Darts circuit since 2007. Back then, the likes of Colin Lloyd, Roland Scholten, Adrian Lewis, Dennis Priestley, Peter Manley, Phil Taylor, Terry Jenkins, and Raymond van Barneveld graced the stage in Newcastle.

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Fast forward to the modern era, and the venue remains a crucial stop on the Premier League calendar. In 2022, when the current format featuring mini-tournaments was introduced, Michael Smith claimed the weekly title in Newcastle with victories over James Wade (6-4), Gerwyn Price (6-3), and Jonny Clayton (6-3). The following year, Gerwyn Price dominated, overcoming Clayton (6-1), Chris Dobey (6-4), and Michael van Gerwen (6-1), posting a staggering 114.96 average in the final.

Last year, however, Van Gerwen turned the tables on Price in the quarterfinals before securing the Newcastle title with wins over Luke Littler (6-5) and Nathan Aspinall (6-4).

Key Matches in Newcastle

Luke Littler vs. Stephen Bunting

The reigning Premier League champion, Luke Littler, has made an electric start to the new season. After seven rounds, 'The Nuke' sits comfortably atop the standings, having reached five weekly finals and winning three. Last week in Cardiff, the 18-year-old sensation delivered a spectacular performance, defeating Michael van Gerwen in a breathtaking final with a 112.50 average and a nine-darter.

Stephen Bunting, on the other hand, is still searching for his first victory in this year’s Premier League. While he has shown glimpses of promise against Nathan Aspinall, Gerwyn Price, and Chris Dobey, ‘The Bullet’ has yet to come close to a win. The odds are firmly against him as he faces the league leader.

Earlier this season, Littler and Bunting clashed in Exeter, where Littler triumphed 6-3 with a remarkable 112.34 average. The overall head-to-head record stands at 3-2 in Littler’s favor.

Gerwyn Price vs. Rob Cross

In terms of rankings, this could be the most pivotal match of the night. Price currently sits in fourth place, while Cross is just behind in fifth, making this a crucial encounter for both players.

Price’s campaign has been marked by inconsistency—he has won two weekly titles but also suffered first-round exits on four occasions. Cross, meanwhile, has displayed fluctuating form, winning his opening match in five of the seven rounds but failing to reach a single weekly final.

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These two met just last week in Cardiff, where Cross silenced the Welsh crowd by eliminating Price in the quarterfinals. It was Cross’ second consecutive victory over ‘The Iceman,’ having also beaten him in the Dutch Darts Masters semifinals earlier this year. Despite this, Price still leads their head-to-head battle 14-12.

Luke Humphries vs. Chris Dobey

Luke Humphries started his Premier League campaign in dominant fashion, securing two weekly titles in the first four weeks. However, his form has dipped recently, with three consecutive first-round exits costing him the top spot in the standings to Luke Littler.

Chris Dobey finally broke his winless streak last week in Cardiff, claiming a much-needed 6-2 victory over Stephen Bunting. However, ‘Hollywood’ still has significant ground to make up in the playoff race, trailing the top four by seven points.

Dobey will have the crowd firmly behind him in Newcastle, which is near his hometown of Bedlington. As a passionate supporter of Newcastle United, he will be eager to deliver a strong performance in his favorite venue.

This will be the third Premier League clash between Humphries and Dobey this season. Humphries dominated their first encounter in Belfast, winning 6-1, before securing a 6-4 victory in Glasgow with a 106 average. Overall, Humphries leads their head-to-head series 10-7.

Michael van Gerwen vs. Nathan Aspinall

Nathan Aspinall arrives in Newcastle in high spirits after securing his maiden Euro Tour title at the European Darts Trophy last weekend. It was his first title since the 2023 World Matchplay and a reward for his consistent form in recent weeks. In the Premier League, ‘The Asp’ has reached two weekly finals but needs a strong result to maintain his top-four ambitions.

Michael van Gerwen, meanwhile, has a prime opportunity to put more distance between himself and players outside the playoff spots. ‘Mighty Mike’ finally made his first weekly final of the season last week in Cardiff, only to fall short against Luke Littler. He also reached the semifinals of the European Darts Trophy but was halted by Ryan Joyce.

This will be the third meeting between Van Gerwen and Aspinall in this year’s Premier League. Aspinall won their first encounter in Dublin (6-3), but Van Gerwen responded with a 6-4 victory two weeks ago. Overall, Van Gerwen has dominated their head-to-head, winning 20 of their 28 encounters.

Premier League Prize Money and Format

Weekly Winner’s Bonus

One of the unique aspects of the Premier League is the weekly mini-tournament format, where each night’s champion earns an additional £10,000. With the competition spanning 16 weeks, this means a potential £160,000 is up for grabs in bonus prize money alone.

Alongside the prize bonuses, players also accumulate points for the league standings. The breakdown is as follows:

Winner: 5 points
Runner-up: 3 points
Semi-finalists: 2 points
Quarter-finalists (First Round Losers): 0 points

Tournament Format

League Phase

Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Finals: Best of 11 legs

Playoffs

Semifinals: Best of 19 legs
Final: Best of 21 legs

Where to Watch

Thanks to Sky Sports, darts fans won’t miss a moment of the Premier League action. Every Thursday night from 7 p.m., the channel provides live coverage, including expert analysis and interviews with the key players.

The broadcasts typically run until 11pm, ensuring an evening packed with top-tier darts entertainment.

Prize Money Distribution

With a total prize fund of £1,000,000, the eight Premier League contenders are competing not just for the title but also for a lucrative payday. All players are guaranteed £60,000, while the overall champion will walk away with £275,000.

Additionally, the £10,000 weekly winner's bonus provides extra motivation for players looking to boost their earnings throughout the season.