Luke Littler is the defending champion (Picture: Getty)
Premier League Darts gets underway on Thursday night as eight players begin their lengthy campaigns to be crowned champion in May.
The invitational event travels the UK and Europe for 16 weeks before the play-offs in May when the winner will claim the trophy and a huge £275,000 top prize.
Fresh off his record-breaking World Championship victory at Alexandra Palace in January, Luke Littler returns to defend his Premier League title which he won on debut last season.
However, the 18-year-old faces stiff competition once again this year, with World No.1 Luke Humphries and seven-time champions Michael van Gerwen two of the favourites to best The Nuke.
Also involved are former world champions Gerwyn Price and Rob Cross, along with Nathan Aspinall, Stephen Bunting and Chris Dobey.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the Premier League’s return, including the schedule, format, fixtures, prize money, and how to watch on TV.
Premier League Darts format
Each week the eight players play down from quarter-finals to crown a weekly winner.
That weekly winner will get a £10,000 bonus, plus five points on the Premier League table. The runner-up gets three points and the semi-finalists two points.
After 16 weeks of this format, the top four in the table head to the play-offs on 23 May.
Premier League Darts schedule
Premier League fixtures
Night One – Thursday, February 6
The SSE Arena, Belfast
Quarter-Finals
Chris Dobey vs Gerwyn Price
Stephen Bunting vs Rob Cross
Luke Littler vs Michael van Gerwen
Nathan Aspinall vs Luke Humphries
Littler and Michael van Gerwen are st to continue their rivalry (Picture: Getty)
Night Two – Thursday, February 13
OVO Hydro, Glasgow
Quarter-Finals
Rob Cross vs Luke Littler
Michael van Gerwen vs Stephen Bunting
Nathan Aspinall vs Gerwyn Price
Luke Humphries vs Chris Dobey
Night Three – Thursday, February 20
3Arena, Dublin
Quarter-Finals
Luke Humphries vs Stephen Bunting
Gerwyn Price vs Luke Littler
Rob Cross vs Nathan Aspinall
Michael van Gerwen vs Chris Dobey
Night Four – Thursday, February 27
Westpoint Exeter
Quarter-Finals
Michael van Gerwen vs Rob Cross
Gerwyn Price vs Luke Humphries
Chris Dobey vs Nathan Aspinall
Stephen Bunting vs Luke Littler
Night Five – Thursday, March 6
The Brighton Centre
Quarter-Finals
Gerwyn Price vs Michael van Gerwen
Luke Littler vs Chris Dobey
Rob Cross vs Luke Humphries
Stephen Bunting vs Nathan Aspinall
Night Six – Thursday, March 13
Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
Quarter-Finals
Luke Humphries vs Luke Littler
Rob Cross vs Chris Dobey
Stephen Bunting vs Gerwyn Price
Nathan Aspinall vs Michael van Gerwen
Night Seven – Thursday, March 20
Utilita Arena, Cardiff
Quarter-Finals
Chris Dobey vs Stephen Bunting
Luke Humphries vs Michael van Gerwen
Luke Littler vs Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price vs Rob Cross
World No.1 Luke Humphries claimed the World Masters at the start of February (Picture: Getty)
Night Eight – Thursday, March 27
Utilita Arena, Newcastle
Fixtures confirmed following Night Seven
Night Nine – Thursday, April 3
Uber Arena, Berlin
Quarter-Finals
Nathan Aspinall vs Stephen Bunting
Luke Humphries vs Rob Cross
Chris Dobey vs Luke Littler
Michael van Gerwen vs Gerwyn Price
Night Ten – Thursday, April 10
AO Arena, Manchester
Quarter-Finals
Chris Dobey vs Michael van Gerwen
Nathan Aspinall vs Rob Cross
Luke Littler vs Gerwyn Price
Stephen Bunting vs Luke Humphries
Night 11 – Thursday, April 17
Rotterdam Ahoy
Quarter-Finals
Chris Dobey vs Luke Humphries
Gerwyn Price vs Nathan Aspinall
Stephen Bunting vs Michael van Gerwen
Luke Littler vs Rob Cross
Fan favourite Stephen Bunting returns to the Premier League after a ten-year absence (Picture: Getty)
Night 12 – Thursday, April 24
M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
Quarter-Finals
Luke Humphries vs Nathan Aspinall
Michael van Gerwen vs Luke Littler
Rob Cross vs Stephen Bunting
Gerwyn Price vs Chris Dobey
Night 13 – Thursday, May 1
Utilita Arena, Birmingham
Quarter-Finals
Luke Littler vs Stephen Bunting
Nathan Aspinall vs Chris Dobey
Luke Humphries vs Gerwyn Price
Rob Cross vs Michael van Gerwen
Night 14 – Thursday, May 8
First Direct Arena, Leeds
Quarter-Finals
Rob Cross vs Gerwyn Price
Nathan Aspinall vs Luke Littler
Michael van Gerwen vs Luke Humphries
Stephen Bunting vs Chris Dobey
Night 15 – Thursday, May 15
P&J Live, Aberdeen
Quarter-Finals
Michael van Gerwen vs Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price vs Stephen Bunting
Chris Dobey vs Rob Cross
Luke Littler vs Luke Humphries
Night 16 – Thursday, May 22
Utilita Arena, Sheffield
Fixtures confirmed following Night 15
Play-Offs – Thursday, May 29
The O2, London
Semi-Finals and Final
How to watch Premier League Darts on TV
Sky Sports will be showing all the action from the tournament, across Main Event and Action – check the schedule for the channel each night.
The coverage gets underway at 7pm.
Premier League Darts prize money
Winner: £275,000
Runner-up: £125,000
Semi-finalists: £85,000
5th place: £75,000
6th place: £70,000
7th place: £65,000
8th place: £60,000
Weekly Winner Bonus: £10,000
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