Premier League Darts prize money as Luke Humphries beats Luke Littler in final

Irish Daily Mirror

3 days ago

The Premier League Darts Finals Night was a spectacle to remember. Young prodigy Luke Littler was set to defend his title at the O2 Arena in London, but fell short against Luke Humphries in a thrilling final.
At just 18, Littler clinched the Premier League Darts title last year after being selected as one of four wildcards following his surprising performance at the 2024 World Darts Championship. He triumphed on four nights during his debut season before besting Michael Smith in the semi-finals and securing the title with an 11-7 victory over Humphries.
'The Nuke', the current world champion and UK Open winner this year, sits second in the PDC Order of Merit. He defeated Gerwyn Price in his semi-final, while Humphries overcame Nathan Aspinall, but it was Cool Hand who emerged victorious in the final with an 11-8 scoreline.
Littler had previously topped the regular season standings with 45 points, winning six of the 16 weekly events, leading many to anticipate him finishing the job. He started strong against Humphries, only for his opponent to make a stunning comeback.
The Premier League season boasts a total prize pot of £1million, with Humphries pocketing £275k for his win. Runner-up Littler will take home £125k for his efforts, while the losing semi-finalists will receive £85k each, reports the Mirror.
The remaining four players in the eight-man league earned between £60k and £75k, with the money increasing by £5k increments based on their final league position.
Teen darting sensation Luke Littler had already pocketed an additional £60k before tonight's showdown, having snagged a £10k bonus for each weekly win in the regular season. He sits comfortably on the PDC Order of Merit with earnings of £1.3m from ranked tournaments alone - a mere £573k shy of world number one Humphries.
This impressive sum does not take into account Littler's prize money from events like Premier League Darts that aren't ranked, nor his sponsorship deal takings.
On his trail to darts glory, Humphries joined the elite circle of Triple Crown winners following his first-ever Premier League success - a feat he shared with competitors Price and Aspinall, who were also vying for their inaugural victory in the prestigious 2025 play-offs.
Littler must now set his sights on 2026 if he aims to join the ranks of the rare multi-time Premier League champions - a club currently boasting the likes of Gary Anderson, Phil Taylor, and Michael van Gerwen, with Van Gerwen towering at seven title victories.
Humphries, basking in the glow of his triumph, expressed gratitude to Sky Sports: "This one means the world to me, that was the one I was missing," and acknowledged the difference it made to him: "It was the one I wanted, I have done it now. If I don't win another title, I am happy as I have done the three hardest ones to do."
He went on to thank darting legend Phil Taylor for his invaluable guidance and support: "Phil Taylor has given me a lot of support over the last couple of weeks so, Phil, if you are watching, thank you. He gave me a lot of advice and that extra support.
"I love Luke to bits. He is one of my best mates on tour and he is so good," he said of Littler. "He wasn't at his best tonight, neither was I. I thought the game was going to go away from me at 3-0 down. He is a great player, a great lad, and I will get in early before he trounces everyone."