Premier League Darts LIVE RESULTS: Luke Littler BEATS Humphries in epic final as Cool Hand picks up cut finger – latest
LUKE LITTLER is off the mark in the Premier League Darts after winning a thrilling Night 2 final 6-5 against Luke Humphries.
Defending champ Littler had thrashed Michael van Gerwen 6-2 in the semi-final after fighting back from 5-1 down to overcome Rob Cross 6-5 in the quarters.
Humphries - who was playing with a cut finger - leads the table after his win on the opening night in Belfast and his runner-up spot last night.
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Rob Cross 1-1 Luke Littler
And a hold back for Cross.
He leaves himself 74 and Littler comes alongside him to leave 72 and put the pressure on his first hold.
But Cross takes it out to settle any nerves.
Rob Cross 0-1 Luke Littler
Strong hold in this first to six match-up.
A sluggish first couple of visits from both as neither hits any real treble.
Littler then bursts into action with the match's first 180 to leave 170 and the potential of the big fish.
He leaves 74 and Cross' 140 to leave 110 puts pressure on it but Littler takes it on on tops.
Night 2 is underway!
Luke Littler to throw first - throwing GOLD darts!
Walkouts
Isn't it funny? I wasn't wrong either.
There are 10,000 fans in here tonight and first view of Rob Cross the majority of the crowd are booing.
First view of Luke Littler, the crowd are majority booing.
Yet when their songs start, the whole pace is in sing-a-long mode before more cheers than booing when they wave from the stage.
Many inside here will be asking: Can both players get beat?
Ready for a start!
The atmosphere is at full pitch and we're just about ready for a start.
The players from match one will be making their way to the start of their walkway ready to kick things off.
Rob Cross vs Luke Littler!
'Enjoy it'
By Rob Maul
Luke Littler reckons he was “born with no nerves."
But apart from that one instance, he has approached every high-profile game with maturity and composure way beyond his tender years.
Speaking on a new podcast hosted by darts referee Huw Ware, the 18-year-old said: “There’s been a few times where I felt nervous.
“But I just think to myself: ‘Just enjoy it and you won’t get nervous.’
“When you’re playing, you get the first leg or two, and you settle in.“Even if the opponent comes back at you, you know you’ve got the game to come back. But I’m pretty sure I was born with no nerves.”
Oche queen
Sky Sports host Emma Paton has gone for an all-black look tonight and receives a huge cheer from the bumper Glasgow crowd as she opens proceedings.
Tights very much needed in Glasgow tonight. Absolutely freezing in Scotland's top city.
Marathon
Rob Cross kicks things off against Luke Littler, having got on the board with two points last week.
Though he's been handed a tough draw for week two starting against the world champion.
But despite looking for his strong start to continue - especially after Players Championship success earlier this week - he knows this competition has a long, long way to go.
He told : “It’s a marathon, not a sprint; you want to get points on the board early but it isn't imperative. If I play as well as I know I can then I will win games.
“It would mean everything to win it – I haven’t won a big one for ages, so to win this would be very special.
“The players that have been selected this year are fantastic. Every week of the tournament is different and I don’t fear anyone so long as my game is right.
“That said, it can always go pear-shaped!”
More on that
Luke Humphries admits it's a shame there's no Scottish representatives in Glasgow.
He says he's looking forward to playing in front of the fans and the atmosphere they're going to create.
Whether trying to butter the crowd up or not ahead of his game later tonight, Humphries said: "I really like the Scottish people. I think they are really good. They are always up for a laugh. They are a great craic. Always create a great atmosphere.
“I am looking forward to playing there. It’s a shame there are no Scots in the Premier League. There are so many great Scots over the last ten years who have played in it.
“Unfortunately the standard has not been there from them. Gary Anderson is the only one who would have been asked. If he would have played, it would have been great.
“Of course, it’s a shame there are none of them in it. I am really looking forward to playing in Glasgow.”
Scotland bouncing
As two of the biggest football clubs in the UK have shown in recent weeks, Glaswegians LOVE their sport. Particularly when there's someone to get behind.
Alas, that's the hugely disappointing factor with tonight's action.
There won't be a Scotsman lining up in the Premier League in Glasgow for the first time in 15 years.
Gary Anderson and Peter Wright have flown the flag for the Scots in recent times but are both well off the boil to be included here.
Given the majority are English players, I'm not 100% sure many will get universally pleasant welcomes...
Credit: @DartsNow Night winner
As for the winner of the night, it's the two Lukes that dominate the betting there.
Though these odds are likely to be pretty similar each and every week...
Sponsors with some huge prices outwith those two!
Premier League Night 2 winner
Odds from sponsors BetMGM
- Luke Humphries 2/1
- Luke Littler 2/1
- Michael van Gerwen 13/2
- Gerwyn Price 7/1
- Stephen Bunting 8/1
- Chris Dobey 14/1
- Rob Cross 16/1
- Nathan Aspinall 20/1
Match odds
Another tough night to call and that's reflected in the betting odds.
That should probably be the case given it's the best in the world taking each other on!
reckon the semi finals will see Littler, Van Gerwen, Price and Humphries in action - what a fourball!
- Rob Cross (5/2) vs Luke Littler (30/100)
- Michael van Gerwen (7/10) vs Stephen Bunting (11/10)
- Nathan Aspinall (7/5) vs Gerwyn Price (11/20)
- Luke Humphries (4//11) vs Chris Dobey (2/1)
Litter has ‘changed my life’
Whilst Cross has tempered expectations on Littler, a three-time world champion has admitted that the 18-year-old has changed his life.
To find out more, read below:
Littler 'will have target on back' - Cross
All eyes will be on Littler after his record-breaking run to the World title at the turn of the year.
Littler admits everyone raises their game to beat him but tonight's Rob Cross doesn’t feel that will bother him.
He said: “You tell me over the last year how many problems the boy’s had? He’s not really had a lot, has he?
“So I think you’d be naive to think that it’s going to affect him massively. He will have a target on his back now more so, obviously being World Champion. I think that’s a big thing in the game.
“But he’s still playing great. He showed that and I think he’ll carry on. Why not? The game’s in a good place, he’s still playing very well.
Credit: EPA Table so far...
Here are the latest standings after night one:
1 Luke Humphries…5
2 Chris Dobey…3
3 Michael van Gerwen…2
4 Rob Cross…2
5 Luke Littler…0
6 Stephen Bunting…0
7 Gerwyn Price…0
8 Nathan Aspinall…0
'Hardest Premier League for a long time' - Humphries
The World number one, Luke Humphries, has had his say on this year's field:
"I think this is the hardest Premier League for a long, long time. For me, nights like this, you've got to be careful or they might not happen as often as you want," said Humphries following his win last week.
Premier League Darts Night 2: Format
For those needing a refresher on the format on the competition:
All seven games will be contested over the best of eleven legs in an eight-player knockout event during each night of the competition.
Five points will be awarded to players for winning the championship, three for finishing second, and two for finishing in the semifinals.
After the first 15 weeks, the top four finishers in the standings will compete in two knockout semi-finals, with a final determining the overall champion.
Premier League Finals Night follows a somewhat different structure, with the semifinals being a best of 19 legs and the final being a best of 21 legs.
Premier League rankings determine who gets to throw first in the semifinals.
To choose the first thrower for the final, participants will engage in a bull-off in the practice area.
Tonight's schedule
Quarter-finals
- Rob Cross vs Luke Littler - 7:15pm
- Michael van Gerwen vs Stephen Bunting - 7:45pm
- Nathan Aspinall vs Gerwyn Price - 8:15pm
- Luke Humphries vs Chris Dobey - 8:45pm
Semi-finals
- Cross / Littler vs Van Gerwen / Bunting - 9:15pm
- Aspinall / Price vs Humphries / Dobey - 9:45pm
Final
- Cross / Littler / Van Gerwen / Bunting vs Aspinall / Price / Humphries / Dobey - 10:30pm
Welcome ALL
We're in Glasgow!
Fans will expect more drama this evening after the 2025 Premier League Darts got off to a fantastic start in Belfast last time around.
Luke Humphries defeated Chris Dobey 6-1 to win the first night in Northern Ireland.
Luke Littler, on the other hand, lost badly against Michael van Gerwen in the quarterfinals.
After the Dutchman took a 5-3 lead, the Nuke rallied to force a final leg, which MVG won on double eight.
However, Humphries prevailed in the semi-final before the world number one secured opening night gold, and Van Gerwen was unable to duplicate that performance.
Today's schedule to follow.
Credit: Getty