Darts Premier League
Premier League Darts playoffs preview: Luke out, Michael!
The O2 Arena is set and stakes couldn’t be higher, as the final four players battle it out for Premier League glory on Thursday night.
Join us as we break down the semi-finals, evaluate the players’ recent performances, and set the stage for a thrilling showdown at the O2.
Semi-final 1 – Luke Littler v Michael Smith (19:15)
Starting off the final night’s action is the table-topper Luke Littler facing off against Michael Smith, who clinched his playoff spot in Thursday’s win over Nathan Aspinall just last week. Littler, making waves in his debut Premier League season, has silenced sceptics who doubted his ability to handle the intensity of the competition.
These two competitors clashed just a week ago, with Smith securing a thrilling 6-5 victory over Littler to advance to the finals in Sheffield, which he ultimately won. Smith has consistently proven to be a formidable opponent for Littler, triumphing in five out of their seven encounters. With this track record and his recent success, Smith appears poised to potentially upset the outright winner odds for the evening – with Littler priced at 7/4 to take the title and Smith the 11/2 outsider.
In the semi-finals, the format extends to a race to reach 10 legs first, a setup that might favour Michael Smith yet again. While Luke Littler is known for explosive starts with impressive scoring and rapid doubling, his ability to maintain consistency over extended periods remains relatively untested. Last week’s match between the two serves as a prime example, where Littler surged to a 3-0 lead only for Smith to steadily mount a comeback, ultimately securing the win.
Michael Smith to beat Luke Littler is 7/4.
Semi-final 2 – Luke Humphries v Michael van Gerwen (20:15)
In the second semi-final, the top-seeded Luke Humphries squares off against the legendary Michael van Gerwen, a seven-time Premier League champion. A victory for either player in the final at The O2 would hold significant magnitude. Humphries aims to join the ranks of Gary Anderson and Glen Durrant in clinching the Premier League title in their debut seasons, a feat Luke Littler also aims to achieve. Meanwhile, van Gerwen has his eyes set on further solidifying his status as the most decorated player in Premier League history, with seven titles under his belt already.
Similar to the first semi-final, there’s been a clear dominant force in the head-to-head matchups between these two this year. In 2024 alone, they’ve clashed seven times, and remarkably, Humphries has triumphed in all but one encounter: a narrow 6-5 defeat in the final of Night 3 in Glasgow.
There is no doubt that Luke Humphries is the rightful favourite at 13/8 to win the whole thing as he has proven time and time again that he can beat anyone. He is the reigning PDC World Championship title holder, and he could very much be lifting another trophy in two games time.
However, Wayne Mardle’s pick for the evening is MVG to win and to secure the most 180s, which has been boosted from 5/1 to 6/1. The pendulum could very much swing either way.
Check out the latest Premier League Darts betting at William Hill
