Darts results LIVE: Premier League final THIS WEEK as Luke Littler takes on Michael Smith in semi-final – latest updates

The Nuke can max out his glory

Luke Littler is on course for at least one spectacular achievement on Premier League Darts finals night - even if he misses out on victory.

The Nuke topped the table over the 16 nights ahead of the play-offs - and also leads in another showstopping sense.

Littler is out on front for maximums on 114 - seven ahead of his world championship final conqueror Luke Humphries.

So he must be strong favourite to remain at the summit for maximums.

Most 180s:

114 Luke Littler
107 Luke Humphries
93 Michael Smith
79 Michael van Gerwen
74 Nathan Aspinall
65 Gerwyn Price
55 Rob Cross
43 Peter Wright

How it will look on the final night

Thursday is the night of reckoning in this year's Premier League Darts.

And table-topper Luke Littler, 17, is the narrow favourite to add further gloss to his spectacular 12 months.

The four remaining stars are Littler, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith.

Here are the semi-finals for Thursday evening at London's O2 Arena:

Luke Littler vs Michael Smith – 7.15pm

Luke Humphries vs Michael van Gerwen – 8.15pm

Prize money

The prize money for the Premier League is huge this year.

Just check out these figures:

• Winner: £275,000
• Runner-up: £125,000
• Losing semi-finalists: £85,000
• Fifth place: £75,000
• Sixth place: £70,000
• Seventh place: £65,000
• Eighth place: £60,000
• Winner’s bonus per tournament: £10,000 (x 16)

Smith desperate to WIN £275k Premier League

Michael Smith is driven to claim the £275,000 Premier League Darts jackpot on Thursday.

Bully Boy, 33, takes on Luke Littler, 17, in the semi-finals of the Playoffs on Thursday night at the O2 Arena in London.

And after taking some time off after his World Championship victory last year Smith wants the "focal point back."

He said: "Smith said: “Last year was my own downfall, I took eight months out of the game. That was my own fault.

“Coming into this year’s Premier League opener in Cardiff, I said: ‘Let’s put the record straight now.’

“After the Worlds it wasn’t the greatest year I’ve had.

“This year there’s no focal point on me now.

“I’m not saying I want the focal point back because it wasn’t nice doing nine interviews a day!

“But everything about it I want back and I’m trying my best.”

Little change

Luke Littler swapped darts for football at the weekend as he managed a team at Goodison Park.

The 17-year-old managed KICK FC in a charity match against Everton.

Some of the UK's biggest content creators and streamers came together for the match in aid of Everton in the Community including MMA star Molly McCann and YouTuber Yung Filly.

Littler's team suffered an 8-3 defeat to Everton, but it didn't stop the darts star from enjoying the occasion.

Price's latest side hustle

Darts star Gerwyn Price has lifted the lid on his latest side hustle – selling fish and chips to hungry punters.

He is transforming a nearby former pharmacy into a fish and chip shop.

Price will be hoping fans flock to Markham for the battered goods.

He will also be selling tasty kebabs after getting planning permission in 2024.

Premier League final schedule

After 16 weeks of league action, it is time to crown the 2024 Premier League Darts champion.

Three matches remain, with teen sensation Luke Littler, world champion Luke Humphries, seven-time winner Michael van Gerwen and former world champion Michael Smith set to battle it out in the play-offs.

The Premier League Darts 2024 final takes place as part of the play-off night on 23 May at London's O2 Arena.

Semi-finals (from 7.15pm)

Best of 19 legs

Luke Littler v Michael Smith

Luke Humphries v Michael van Gerwen

Final (from approx 9.30pm)

Best of 21 legs

TBC v TBC

Final table

Luke Littler finished top of the Premier League Darts table.

It was Michael Smith who claimed the final play off place.

Stars are angry at Littler

Michael Smith has claimed Luke Littler's rapid rise has angered many opponents.

He said: “I think they are getting annoyed. I had it last year, Littler is getting it all now.

“I don’t think they are happy that he’s getting everything. I’m not bothered.

“The players at 70 in the world shouldn’t be bothered because this young kid at the minute is one of the best players in the world.

“The people at 70, 80, 90 all they should think about is that their money is going to keep going up and up and up.

"The more this kid is playing, we get better sponsors, hopefully Eddie (Hearn) puts the prize money up again, £1,000 to £1,500 on the ProTour.

“Just because of Littler we’ve gone from being wherever we were in the ratings to only now the Premier League football in the UK is out rating us. Just because of that kid."

Smith tells fellow darts stars to stop moaning about Littler

Michael Smith has urged his fellow darts stars to be grateful that Luke Littler is on the scene.

He told Sky Sports: "He's amazing pushing the PDC boys even further.

"There's a few getting upset with it but listen, my pockets get full every time he gets mentioned.

"I think they are getting annoyed. I had it last year, Littler is getting it all now.

"I don't think they are happy that he's getting everything. I'm not bothered.

"The players at 70 in the world shouldn't be bothered because this young kid at the minute is one of the best players in the world.

"The people at 70, 80, 90 all they should think about is that their money is going to keep going up and up and up.

"The more this kid is playing, we get better sponsors, hopefully Eddie (Hearn) puts the prize money up again, £1,000 to £1,500 on the ProTour.

"My money is just going to keep going up because some kid is doing it for me. I'm not annoyed and the other players shouldn't either. The kid is doing nothing wrong.

"People are annoyed that he got in and I can say there's a couple of the boys in the top 16 who are annoyed. But he is going to pocket us so much money."

Finals week!

It's finals week of the 2023/24 Premier League Darts season and Luke Littler is going for glory on his debut.

The four remaining stars are Littler, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith.

Here are the semi-finals for Thursday night:

Luke Littler vs Michael Smith - 7.15pm

Luke Humphries vs Michael van Gerwen - 8.15pm

Unrecognisable darts legend

Two-time world champion Peter Wright looks unrecognisable hitting 180 at the BDO World Championship in 1995.

Snakebite, 54, competed in the event at the age of just 24, losing 3-1 in the first round to eventual champion Richie Burnett.

But many darts fans would be forgiven for not even recognising the Scot back in the day.

A clip that has re-surfaced of the 1995 clash shows Wright with an understated look - brown hair, black shirt and slender face.

That is in stark contrast to his modern day appearance - which sees him wear colourful clothes and glasses while sporting a goatee and trademark Mohawk.

Livingston-born Wright has also changed the nationality he competes for since that 1995 tournament.

Littler is a 'darting fiend'

Luke Littler is a “darting fiend” and can break a Premier League record in his debut season.

That's according to Wayne Mardle, anyway.

“The kid learns so quickly," Hawaii 501 revealed.

"Look at the World Championship. We knew what he was capable of, doing it at the Worlds is a completely different thing.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen so quickly. He’s settled here, he’s now won four weeks. He just settles very quickly in a darting environment.

“Nothing really perturbs him or worries him. He’s a bit of a darting fiend, the way he thinks is different to what newcomers do.”

MVG car collection

Michael Van Gerwen has earned a packet from the game.

And you should see his epic car collection below.

HIGH ROLLER

Inside van Gerwen's car collection, from a £250k Rolls-Royce to a £120k BMW

Prize money

The prize money for the Premier League is huge this year.

Just check out these figures:

• Winner: £275,000
• Runner-up: £125,000
• Losing semi-finalists: £85,000
• Fifth place: £75,000
• Sixth place: £70,000
• Seventh place: £65,000
• Eighth place: £60,000
• Winner’s bonus per tournament: £10,000 (x 16)

Mardle's tip for Premier League glory

Wayne Mardle is tipping Luke Humphries to be crowned Premier League Darts champion.

"I have been saying it for the last few weeks, when they all hit top form, he (Humphries) is not beaten when he is hitting it," he said.

"The others, there are a couple of times when Gerwyn Price has shown amazing form but not quite done it for three matches.

"Luke Littler has done it every now and again, Michael van Gerwen every now and again. But Luke Humphries, for me, when he is on, he is not there to be beaten at all.

"In fact, some people have got nowhere near him. I do believe Luke Humphries will be the man to beat."

Final Premier League Darts table

Price could quit

Gerwyn Price has appeared to suggest he will quit Premier League Darts next season.

Price has struggled for form this season despite his prestigious pedigree in the game.

Price was quick to make his frustrations clear when taking to Instagram yesterday.

The Welshman wrote: “So happy that’s done and dusted, end of the Premier League for me now.

“Looking forward to putting my full attention to ranked events from now on.

“Would love to say I’ve enjoyed it but I’d be lying.”

Premier League darts table

Here's the current standings of the Premier League:

1 Luke Littler - 40pts
2 Luke Humphries - 36pts
3 Michael van Gerwen - 29pts
4 Nathan Aspinall - 25pts
6 Rob Cross - 17pts
7 Gerwyn Price - 12pts
8 Peter Wright - 4pts

Premier League fixtures

Here's what's next in the Premier League play-offs:

Littler vs Smith

Humphries vs Van Gerwen

Super Series results

Here are today's results from the Super Series:

Crabtree 4-3 Hurds

Meulenkamp 0-4 Crabtree

Littler's rollercoaster romance

Lots has been made of Eloise, Luke Littler's girlfriend.

The pair have enjoyed a whirlwind romance.

LUKE OF LOVE

Littler's rollercoaster romance with girlfriend Eloise after 'tough start'

Price's sideline

Gerwyn Price's interests out of darts show off an interesting side hustle.

PRICE IS RIGHT

Inside Gerwyn Price's latest side hustle as darts star shows off renovations

Price could quit

Gerwyn Price has appeared to suggest he will quit Premier League Darts next season.

Price has struggled for form this season despite his prestigious pedigree in the game.

Price was quick to make his frustrations clear when taking to Instagram yesterday.

The Welshman wrote: "So happy that's done and dusted, end of the Premier League for me now.

"Looking forward to putting my full attention to ranked events from now on.

"Would love to say I've enjoyed it but I'd be lying."

Smith's verdict on Littler semi

Michael Smith blasted that Luke Littler won’t give a c**p about facing him in the Premier League semi-finals.

"He proved it going to the Worlds, Bahrain, the two Europeans and ProTour. He won’t think anything else," Smith revealed.

“He’s 17. I don’t want to swear but he won’t give a c**p. He has no care in the world. It’s us that’s thinking about it trying to punish him.

“I think I say in every interview. It doesn’t matter who I’ve beaten the week before, or seven times before, it’s what happens next week.

“I know Littler will be thinking the same and I’ll be thinking the same. I won’t be thinking about five night wins against him, it’ll be about beating him in the semi-finals.

“We are no different, I just have one star. That’s it. He’s probably got better ability than me. He doesn't have a better throw than me, I think I’ve got the best throw.

“But everything else, his head, everything. He’s such a nice kid but hopefully that nice kid goes out the window next week.

“He’s amazing, pushing the PDC even further and all the boys. There’s a few getting upset with it but listen my pockets get full every time he gets mentioned!

“We look after him, he’s a really nice kid.”