Latest news with #WorldGrandPrix
NBC Sports
5 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
NBC SPORTS AND PROFESSIONAL DARTS CORPORATION PARTNER TO STREAM SELECT EVENTS LIVE ON PEACOCK, BEGINNING WITH PREMIER LEAGUE DARTS FINAL TODAY AT 2 P.M. ET
Peacock to Stream Sky Sports' Live Coverage of Premier League Darts Final, US Darts Masters, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts, and Select Portions of the World Darts Championship Premier League Darts Final From The O2 in London, Featuring 18-Year-Old Current World Champion Luke Littler, Streams Live on Peacock Today at 2 p.m. ET STAMFORD, Conn. – May 29, 2025 – NBC Sports and the Professional Darts Corporation have partnered to stream Sky Sports' coverage of select PDC events live on Peacock, it was announced today. The first PDC event streaming live on Peacock begins this afternoon at 2 p.m. ET with the Premier League Darts Final from The O2 in London. Today's Premier League Darts Final features 18-year-old current world champion Luke Littler aiming to win his second consecutive Premier League title. In the semifinals, No. 1 Littler will face No. 4 Gerwyn Price, while No. 2 Luke Humphries takes on No. 3 Nathan Aspinall. Upcoming events live on Peacock include the US Darts Masters from New York's Madison Square Garden (June 27-28), World Matchplay from Blackpool, England (July 19-27), the World Grand Prix from Leicester, England (Oct. 6-12), the Grand Slam of Darts from Wolverhampton, England (Nov. 8-16), and select portions of the World Darts Championship from London (Dec.11-Jan. 3). Peacock's expansive sports programming features live coverage including Sunday Night Football, Olympic and Paralympic Games, Big Ten Football and Basketball, Notre Dame Football, Premier League, NASCAR, golf, the NBA beginning in 2025-26, the WNBA beginning in 2026, La Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2026, BIG EAST basketball, and much more. Peacock also offers daily sports programming on the NBC Sports channel. - NBC SPORTS -
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Nathan Aspinall's retirement admission after Luke Littler pushed back on claim
Nathan Aspinall has explained the exact age that he believes he will walk away from darts after giving his thoughts on teenage sensation Luke Littler and his future in the sport Nathan Aspinall has revealed his retirement plans after suggesting that he plans to walk away from the oche at 45. The Stockport star, who is currently 33 and sits ninth in the PDC's Order of Merit with a cool £496,000 in earnings over the last two years, still has ample time to add to his trophy cabinet and boost his bank balance before hanging up his darts. Speaking to SportsBoom, Aspinall shared his future plans, saying: "45, and I'm off. I've said to my partner if that's me, it is 45. "If it's earlier than that, and we start making golfers' money and I've got 30 million in the bank - happy days, I'll be off sooner. But I don't think it's going to happen that quick. But yes, 45 is when I'd like to bugger off." With his 34th birthday just around the corner in July, Aspinall has over a decade left to chase his dream of winning the PDC World Championship, having narrowly missed out on the title twice already. Aspinall's track record includes reaching the semi-finals of the prestigious tournament in both 2019 and 2020, where he faced defeat to Michael Smith and Michael van Gerwen respectively. Additionally, he has secured runner-up finishes at the Grand Slam of Darts, World Grand Prix, Premier League and World Series of Darts, proving his mettle as one of darts' top competitors. That's not to mention clinching the 2019 UK Open with a solid 11-5 victory over Rob Cross and bagging the 2023 World Matchplay title with an impressive 18-6 win against Jonny Clayton. He's now gunning for his first Premier League triumph on Thursday night, as he prepares to take on the world's top-ranked player, Luke Humphries, in the semi-finals at the O2 in London, reports the Express. Should he emerge victorious, Aspinall will then go head-to-head with either Luke Littler or Gerwyn Price in the final. It comes after Aspinall suggested that Littler might retire in about five years due to his early success, but the teenage darts sensation has dismissed any talk of hanging up his arrows soon. Littler said: "I don't know where he's got that from - don't worry, I'll be here in 10 years. The Nuke, who etched his name into the history books by becoming the youngest-ever PDC World Championship winner at just 17 earlier this year, added: "It's crazy to even think about retiring. If I win 16 world titles like Phil [Taylor], I'll retire, but I'm not even thinking about retirement at the minute - the money is there to be won, especially the World Championship, but not only that. "Everything has gone up. It is all about what you're feeling, and I'm sure I'll be here for a long time." Littler, the reigning Premier League champion, is set to defend his title when he returns to the O2 on Thursday evening. The 18-year-old has secured his place in the play-offs after topping the league table with a total of 27 victories and 10 defeats this season, and will be aiming to capitalise on his form to secure the grand prize of £275,000.
Wales Online
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Match fixing scandal sees former World Darts Championship semi-finalist slapped with 11-year ban
Match fixing scandal sees former World Darts Championship semi-finalist slapped with 11-year ban Yet another darts player has been found guilty of match-fixing allegations, a statement from the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) has confirmed Andy Jenkins has been handed a massive 11-year ban (Image: Christopher Lee, Getty Images ) Darts professional Andy Jenkins has been slapped with a hefty 11-year ban for match-fixing and fined £17,580. The 54-year-old was found guilty by the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) disciplinary committee. He was discovered to have rigged the results of 12 MODUS Super Series games between February 22, 2022 and July 5, 2023. In addition, Jenkins was also penalised for leaking information to bettors. Despite denying the match-fixing allegations, he admitted to placing 88 bets on matches using his own account. His suspension, which is retroactive from November 2023, will prevent him from participating in or engaging with any DRA events. He will not be able to compete in those competitions until November 15, 2034. Jenkins' most notable achievement was reaching the semi-finals of the PDC World Championship in 2007. There, he was defeated by eventual champion Raymond van Barneveld. Jenkins won 15 career titles and was also a semi-finalist in the UK Open and the World Grand Prix. He has until May 6, 2025 to appeal the decision. Article continues below John Pierce, the Gambling Commission's director of enforcement, commented (via the Mirror): "This case sends a strong and unequivocal message to all sportspeople. "If you fix matches, you are likely to be caught and face serious consequences. Betting customers in Britain deserve confidence that the markets they engage with are fair and free from corruption. Jenkins once climbed all the way up to No.8 on the PDC Order of Merit (Image: Bryn Lennon, Getty Images ) "Our sports betting intelligence unit will continue to work closely with partners such as the Darts Regulation Authority to identify and prevent match-fixing." Jenkins is the latest in a string of players to face penalties for match-fixing. Recently, English-Indian darts star Prakash Jiwa was found guilty of fixing four games and placing bets on other matches' outcomes. Following an investigation supported by The Gambling Commission's Sports Betting Intelligence Unit, he received an eight-year ban from competing in tournaments. Bennett was banned for eight years (Image: Getty ) In addition to being banned until November 6, 2031, he was also slapped with a fine of £17,741.46. This specific investigation concluded that no other players scrutinised were guilty of any offences. Another case involved former young darts prodigy Leighton Bennett. The 19-year-old was found guilty of 10 different rule breaches across four matches, resulting in a hefty eight-year ban from the DRA and a fine of £8,100. Article continues below Bennett came under scrutiny after suspicious betting patterns were noticed in his matches between September 6 and September 9, 2023. One such match was a showdown against Ryan Harrington at a MODUS Super Series event in 2023, where he notably missed several doubles and even failed to hit the board with one attempt.
Wales Online
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
'What's your problem?' - Mark Williams wasn't impressed with World Snooker star's snub
'What's your problem?' - Mark Williams wasn't impressed with World Snooker star's snub Hossein Vafaei and Mark Williams are set to renew their rivalry at the 2025 World Snooker Championship, 15 months on from a heated clash at the World Grand Prix Hossein Vafaei said he rejected Mark Williams' handshake because he slapped his leg in frustration (Image: WST/YouTube ) Snooker ace Mark Williams and Hossein Vafaei are staging a much-anticipated reunion at the 2025 World Snooker Championship. The two square off in the second round, a little more than one year after their fiery encounter at the 2024 World Grand Prix. Williams, 50, appeared visibly irked when Vafaei bypassed the traditional handshake following their battle at the 2024 World Grand Prix. 'The Welsh Potting Machine' had just defeated 'The Prince of Persia' in the tournament's last 16 when an unexpected drama unfolded. Vafaei conceded the match while 3-1 down, leaving the table promptly after Williams missed the pink. And he only acknowledged referee Olivier Marteel after ignoring his opponent on his way out of the arena. Article continues below The crowd voiced their support for Williams and booed Vafaei's breach of sportsmanship. And the former later lifted the lid on Vafaei's explanation after the pair discussed the drama. "I just pulled him up about it and said, 'What's your problem?'" he said after the match. "And he said it was because I slapped my leg at the end, when I won." After failing to pot the pink and critiquing his own performance with a slap of the leg, Williams found himself at the centre of the controversy. Many considered Vafaei's response to the situation an overreaction, dismissing it as no excuse for ignoring standard courtesies. Williams appeared frustrated at the time but later insisted he "didn't care" about Vafaei's show of disrespect (Image: WST/YouTube ) "I slapped my leg at the end because I shouldn't have gone for the pink," added Williams. "I should have played safe. I thought he would have come back to the table and carried on for snookers. That's why I was a bit fuming. He just stormed off, but if that's the reason. . .I don't care anyway!" It's not uncommon for players to continue their break attempts even when the result is already decided. No player is obliged to play on if they believe a comeback isn't possible, although the traditional handshake is usually observed regardless of the outcome. Vafaei, it appears, didn't adhere to this convention and set the scene for an eagerly awaited rematch in Sheffield. The two haven't faced each other since their clash 15 months ago, where Williams scored a century break on his way to a decisive win. The Gwent native has triumphed in six out of seven matches against The Prince of Persia so far. He most notably beat Vafaei in the semi-finals of the 2023 British Open before securing the title in Cheltenham. 'The Welsh Potting Machine' is a three-time world snooker champion (Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire ) Article continues below Vafaei's sole victory over Williams was significant, however, as he won in a final to become the 2022 Shoot Out champion. However, Williams hopes to prove that he still has his number in Sheffield. Iranian Vafaei has already made waves at this year's World Championship. He once again faced criticism for expressing his excitement with a shout after potting a crucial ball in a tight 10-9 first-round victory over Barry Hawkins. He later defended his actions and said this kind of emotion is exactly what fans "want to see." However, his outburst sparked an online debate that suggests not everyone agrees with that sentiment.
Daily Mirror
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Mark Williams asked 'what's your problem?' after World Snooker star's handshake snub
Mark Williams will be reunited with Hossein Vafaei at the 2025 World Snooker Championship, more than a year on from their handshake snub drama at the 2024 World Grand Prix Welsh snooker whiz Mark Williams is on a collision course with Hossein Vafaei, one year after the pair had a heated clash at the table. The duo will square off in the second round of the 2025 World Snooker Championship, with their match set to get underway on Friday. Veteran Williams, 50, took umbrage with Vafaei's lack of respect after the Iranian rejected his handshake following their duel at the 2024 World Grand Prix. 'The Welsh Potting Machine' had just ousted 'The Prince of Persia' from the competition's second round. And Vafaei, 30, sparked outrage when he conceded at 3-1 down in their last-16 clash when Williams failed to sink the pink ball. The former gave his thanks to referee Olivier Marteel but then headed straight for the Morningside Arena exit without acknowledging his opponent. The audience came to Williams' defence by jeering the often controversial Vafaei for his lack of etiquette. And Williams explained the supposed reason for the snub after Vafaei explained his actions. "I just pulled him up about it and said, 'What's your problem?'" he told reporters after the match. "And he said it was because I slapped my leg at the end, when I won." Williams had slapped his leg in frustration and missing his attempt on the pink and saw his break fall short. And many agreed that was hardly sufficient reason for his foe to do away with the usual formalities. "I slapped my leg at the end because I shouldn't have gone for the pink," he continued. "I should have played safe. I thought he would have come back to the table and carried on for snookers. That's why I was a bit fuming. He just stormed off, but if that's the reason. . .I don't care anyway!" It's nothing new for players to carry on their break attempts when a result is already in the bag. At the same time, no player is compelled to play on when they believe a comeback isn't on the cards, though the customary handshake is often respected regardless of that outcome. Not for Vafaei, it seems, which sets the stage for a much-anticipated reunion in Sheffield. The pair haven't met since that showdown 15 months ago, where Williams racked up one century break en route to a conclusive victory. The Welshman has won six of his seven encounters with The Prince of Persia to date, most notably beating him in the semi-finals of the 2023 British Open before he claimed the title in Cheltenham. Vafaei's sole win over Williams was notable, however, winning in a final to be crowned 2022 Shoot Out champion. Vafaei has already made headlines at this year's World Championship. He once again copped criticism for letting out a cry of excitement when sinking a crucial pot in a narrow 10-9 first-round win over Barry Hawkins. He later defended his actions and said that's precisely the kind of thing fans "want to see." The outburst divided opinion, however, as some suggested to the contrary.
