LUKE LITTLER will headline Premier League Darts 2025 as he looks to defend his crown and bag £275,000 – as TWO former world champions are axed.
The Warrington wonderkid, 17, stormed to the World Championship crown earlier this month after demolishing Michael van Gerwen in the final.
GettyLuke Littler won the World Championship and will now headline the Premier League Darts 2025 event[/caption]
ReutersLittler won the Premier League title last season[/caption]
PAMichael Smith won the world title two years ago but his dramatic slide has seen him axed from the Premier League[/caption]
GettyPeter Wright is another former world champion to be axed for 2025[/caption]
That came just a year after Littler lost to fellow Luke – Humphries – after bursting onto the scene at the same tournament a year earlier.
Putting his disappointment behind him, Littler would go on to hoover up a hoard of trophies… including the Premier League Darts 2024 title.
So it comes as no surprise the teenager chasing the mantle of world No1 headlines this year’s event.
While Littler – who will turn 18 before the new Premier League season starts – is joined by the likes of Humphries and Van Gerwen, two of last year’s lineup have been cut.
Peter Wright, 54, and Michael Smith, 34, miss out following their alarming slump in form.
They’re replaced by Stephen Bunting – who last featured in the Premier League a DECADE ago, in 2015, and Chris Dobey – who returns having missed last season.
Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price and Nathan Aspinall complete the eight-strong lineup fighting out for the £275,000 top prize.
The season begins Thursday February 6 in Belfast and comes to an end in the playoffs at London’s O2 Arena on Thursday May 29.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
Premier League Darts 2025: Dates and venues
Night 1 – The SSE Arena, Belfast – Thursday February 6
Night 2 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow – Thursday February 13
Night 3 – 3Arena, Dublin – Thursday February 20
Night 4 – Westpoint Exeter – Thursday February 27
Night 5 – The Brighton Centre – Thursday March 6
Night 6 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham – Thursday March 13
Night 7 – Utilita Arena, Cardiff – Thursday March 20
Night 8 – Utilita Arena, Newcastle – Thursday March 27
Night 9 – Uber Arena, Berlin – Thursday April 3
Night 10 – AO Arena, Manchester – Thursday April 10
Night 11 – Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam – Thursday April 17
Night 12 – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool – Thursday April 24
Night 13 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham, Thursday May 1
Night 14 – First Direct Arena, Leeds – Thursday May 8
Night 15 – P&J Live, Aberdeen – Thursday May 15
Night 16 – Utilita Arena, Sheffield – Thursday May 22
Play-Offs – The O2, London – Thursday May 29
Humphries, Littler, Van Gerwen and Cross get in based on their world rankings – sitting first to fourth in the PDO Order of Merit, respectively.
Bunting – who lost to Littler in the World Championship semis – Price, Dobey and Aspinall have all been awarded wildcards.
RexLuke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen look likely to be Littler’s biggest competition in the tournament[/caption]
Wright’s omission is hardly a surprise, with the mohawked Scot finishing dead-last in the 2024 edition.
He failed to win a single night and was also the only player to fail to reach the final on any of the 16 nights of action.
Smith, meanwhile, actually ran out triumphant on two nights, while reaching three further finals.
However, his worrying drop-off in form has led to his axing.
Welsh ace Price retains his place despite his seventh-place finish last season.
Price and Cross were the only two other stars to fail to win a single Premier League event in 2024.
Littler, Humphries and Van Gerwen all won four nights apiece.
Follow all the action from the World Darts Championship as it happens with SunSport’s LIVE blog
But Littler topped the overall standings and went on to beat Humphries 11-7 in the overall final.
And it’s hard to see the two Lukes not going toe-to-toe on the oche once more come May.
World Darts Championship – top stories
READ MORE on all the fall-out from Luke Littler’s incredible world title win…
All the reaction as it happens in our LIVE BLOG
Littler blows away Van Gerwen to win world title aged 17
Littler is more than a darts player – he’s a multi-million pound commodity
Incredible rise in darts viewing figures revealed
Littler miles off being world No 1 despite £500k win
Littler breaks incredible record with stunning win
Fans praise Sky Sports for ‘lovely’ Donna Mardle touch
Fans in tears as Chris Hoy presents Ballon d’Art trophy
Van Gerwen makes another X-rated comment on live TV
Littler reveals unusual preparation for final
Inside wild celebrations at Littler’s darts academy
How Littler celebrated incredible win – as tributes pour in
Littler copies iconic Lionel Messi trophy picture
Luke Littler prize money breakdown
Here is all the prize money Luke Littler has won so far after being crowned 2025 PDC World Darts Championship winner:
World Championship 2025 – £500,000
World Championship 2024 – £200,000
Grand Slam of Darts 2024 – £150,000
European Tour – £91,000
Player Championships events – £71,500
Players Championship final runner-up – £60,000
UK Open 2023 + 2024 – £17,500
World Matchplay – £10,000
World Grand Prix – £7,500
European Championship – £7,500
(Unranked) Premier League Darts – £315,000
TOTAL: £1.43 million