Everything you need to know ahead of Premier League Darts Finals Night on Thursday May 23 as Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith battle for victory - live on Sky Sports
Thursday 23 May 2024 16:37, UK
Ahead of Premier League Finals Night, we take you through everything you need to know as the competition reaches its climax...
Premier League Finals Night takes place on Thursday May 23 at London's O2 Arena, which you can watch live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action from 7pm.
The O2 Arena will transform as tens of thousands of darts fans descend to see one of Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith be crowned the champion for 2024.
Finals Night is a longer format than the best of 11 legs we see in the regular rounds, with each semi-final contested over 19 legs before a final that is the best of 21 legs.
Due to being first and second in the standings, Littler and Humphries will throw first in their semi-finals.
The order of the throw in the final will then be decided by a bull-off in the practice room.
The prize fund for the entire competition is £1,000,000, with Peter Wright taking home £60,000, Gerwyn Price £65,000, Rob Cross £70,000, and Nathan Aspinall £75,000.
Each of the four semi-finalists are then guaranteed £85,000, with the runner-up taking home £125,000 and the winner claiming £275,000.
There was also a weekly winner bonus of £10,000, which Humphries , van Gerwen and Littler have pocketed on four occasions, Smith twice.
Some people have dominated this format, but none more than van Gerwen who has took home the win on a record seven occasions.
The Green Machine took victory in 2013 before completing four in a row in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.
He then was also victorious in 2022 and 2023, beating Price in last year's final.
Jonny Clayton, Glenn Durrant, Raymond van Barneveld, Gary Anderson, Phil Taylor and James Wade have also won since the Premier League's inception in 2005.
There have been a total of 15 nine-dart finishes in Premier League history with three of them coming on Finals Night.
The legendary Taylor famously threw TWO of them in the same match when he beat Wade 10-8 in arguably the greatest final of them all.
'The Power' went 180, 180 and then completed the first by finishing off T20, T17 and D18 before going the more traditional route later in the clash with 180, 180, T20, T19 and D12 for a moment of pure greatness.
The other nine-darter was struck by 'The Wizard' Simon Whitlock during his semi-final victory against Andy Hamilton as the Australian pinned the holy grail with 180, 180, T20, T15 and D18.
Sky Sports' Megan Wellens...
"As we have seen throughout the entirety of this Premier League season, bet against one of these players and they will go out of their way to prove you wrong.
"This may be a shock to some, but I find it hard to overlook Smith's impressive record against Littler in the Premier League.
"He is in the rhythm of beating the 17-year-old sensation and I wouldn't be surprised to see him do it again at the O2.
"I then think he will play Humphries once again in the final, but this time, the world No 1 will come out on top.
"If this year has taught us anything about Humphries, it is that he knows how to stay calm on the big stage, not fret if the game is getting away from him, and win from anywhere.
"Humphries, Premier league champion 2024 - wouldn't be bad for a debut year, would it?"
Sky Sports' Raz Mirza...
"When it comes to the crunch you can never count out 'Mighty Mike' - he's a seven-time defending champion after all!
"Last year pundits and darting aficionados said he was never going to win at the O2, but on the night, he was on fire.
"It's very different this year when you throw in the Lukes and 'Bully Boy' - we could be in for the greatest Premier League night of them all - and don't rule out not one nine-darter, but the potential of a couple should they all turn up to the party.
"Littler has been a breath of fresh air. The kid is simply unbelievable, and if he wins it, you can't argue with the fact that he's the sports most naturally gifted player... since MVG! Humphries is a winning machine, while you just don't know which Smith which turn up.
"I'm backing Van Gerwen because of his experience in dealing with the opposition on Finals Night and because he wants to show Littler, Humphries and Smith why he's still the very best in the business."
Premier League Darts reaches it's climax at the Play-Offs at the O2 Arena in London on Thursday, May 23. Stream the darts and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.
