Darts Premier League
Littler backed for third nightly win after Dublin triumph
The 2026 Premier League moves to Berlin with Jonny Clayton still top of the table, Luke Littler closing fast after his Dublin triumph, and Josh Rock desperate to get off the mark.
William Hill’s odds have a clear view on who should come through Thursday’s quarterfinals, but there are angles in every tie.
Jonny Clayton (8/15) v Josh Rock (6/4)
It’s top versus bottom to open the night. Clayton saw his run of perfect quarterfinal records snapped by Luke Humphries in Dublin, but he still leads the standings with two nightly wins and the joint-highest match-win total. Rock remains winless and was whitewashed 6–0 by Gerwyn Price on Night 7, underlining how punishing this format can be when confidence dips.
William Hill have Clayton the odds-on favourite and Rock 6/4. Rock has the scoring power to trouble anyone, but Clayton’s clinical doubling and ability to manage matches over the short race make him the rightful favourite. Unless Rock finds a gear we haven’t seen since week one, the Welshman should bank another two points.
Prediction: Clayton to win, with 6–3 or 6–4 a sensible correct score play.
Luke Humphries (8/15) v Michael van Gerwen (6/4)
This is a heavyweight clash between two men jostling around the playoff line. Humphries climbed into the top four after beating Clayton comfortably on Night 7, continuing a trend of strong averages without yet securing a nightly title. Van Gerwen, meanwhile, has been inconsistent: a Night1 win was followed by a run of patchy results and he even missed last week’s event through illness.
Despite MVG’s seven Premier League titles, the recent head-to-head favours Humphries, who has beaten him convincingly twice this month. William Hill’s 8/15 on Humphries and 6/4 on Van Gerwen reflect that momentum swing. If Cool Hand’s scoring holds anywhere near recent levels, his superior form and confidence against MVG should see him through.
Prediction: Humphries to win, probably in a last-leg decider.
Luke Littler (2/9) v Stephen Bunting (16/5)
The third quarterfinal is a rematch of their high quality Night7 clash, where Littler edged Bunting in a 6–5 thriller before going on to win the evening. Littler now sits second in the table with two nightly titles and is throwing with the swagger of a man who believes he’s the best player in the league.
Bunting is no pushover – his own nightly win in Belfast showcased what he can do when the scoring clicks – but he has struggled to string results together since. William Hill has Littler at a very short 2/9, with Bunting 16/5. With that pricing, the straight match market is tough to attack, but Littler -2.5 legs or “Littler to hit most 180s” are logical ways to squeeze more value out of his heavy favourite status.
Prediction: Littler to progress without too much drama.
Gerwyn Price (4/6) v Gian van Veen (6/5)
The night closes with Gerwyn Price against Premier League debutant Gian van Veen. Price has quietly put together a strong campaign – a nightly win, another final and a dominant semifinal display over Humphries in Dublin – and sits comfortably inside the top four. His only real kryptonite so far has been Littler, who has handed him several painful defeats.
Van Veen missed Night 7 through illness but returns having already beaten big names this season and with one of the highest season-long averages in the field. William Hill make Price 4/6 and van Veen 6/5. That feels about right: the Dutchman’s scoring ceiling is enormous, yet over a race to six you trust Price’s experience and doubling under pressure a fraction more – especially coming off a confidence boosting week.
Prediction: Price to edge a high quality encounter, 6–4.
Night 8 Prediction
If the favourites land, we’re set for semifinals of Clayton v Humphries and Littler v Price – effectively a mini major in its own right. Clayton’s consistency and Littler’s explosive scoring mean a Clayton-Littler final would be no surprise, but Humphries and Price both have the form and numbers to spoil the script.
Given his current trajectory and draw, Littler looks the most likely to claim a third nightly win, with Clayton the safest outright alternative and Price a tempting outside shout if he can navigate van Veen and then possibly Littler in back-to-back matches.
