Dobey beats Bunting for Rotterdam triumph

Dobey's previous Premier League nightly win was in Belfast more than two years ago

Chris Dobey won his first Premier League night of 2025 with a 6-2 win over Stephen Bunting on an evening of shocks in Rotterdam.

The all-English final was one few would have predicted, featuring the bottom two going into night 11.

Dobey was in his first final since a 6-1 opening-night loss to Luke Humphries, having overcome Nathan Aspinall 6-2 in the semi-finals.

The Northumberland-born player, 34, surged into a 5-1 lead against Bunting and sealed an impressive success with an average of 101.84 for his second career Premier League nightly win.

Dobey, sixth in the table, is now only three points off the four play-off places, while just five points separate third-placed Aspinall and Rob Cross in seventh.

"I believe I can still get into the top four. I've got a good chance next week if I keep this performance," he said.

"I'm a fighter, I've come through big matches where I've been cruising and ended up losing to get back among the elite. I'm here to win, I'll be here until the end."

Bunting won two deciders to reach the final as he defeated Dutchman Michael van Gerwen and world champion Luke Littler.

In breezy conditions at the Ahoy Arena, Premier League champion Littler edged Rob Cross 6-5 in the quarter-finals, despite his opponent's 110 average.

The 18-year-old – leading the league and seeking a record fifth nightly win of the year - opted for heavier darts, up three grams to 26g, in a bid to keep his arrows on track.

And he looked set for another last-leg win after fighting back from 5-2 down against Bunting, but missed double nine on a 138 checkout.

'Darts blowing everywhere' - Price

Price was not happy after his quarter-final loss

Several players mentioned a breeze on stage in Rotterdam and Gerwyn Price was not happy after his 6-3 defeat by Aspinall in the last eight.

Aspinall warned he had a shoulder injury beforehand, but there was no sign of discomfort as he saw off his Welsh opponent.

Price said afterwards on Instagram: "This week was pointless and we move on to next week. The darts were blowing everywhere.

"Hopefully we will stop coming here and look for alternative venues. If you think it's the same for both players you are as daft as you look."

Cross was on a five-match losing run against Littler, but looked to be on course to seal the decider before his opponent nailed a 145 finish.

The 2018 world champion outscored Littler on the averages by 110.15 to 108.56, but the teenager prevailed again.

Home hero Van Gerwen went down 6-5 to Bunting to disappoint the Dutch fans.

The seven-time Premier League champion remains outside the play-off places, having only progressed to a solitary nightly final across the opening 10 weeks.

Dobey produced arguably his best performance of the campaign so far as he stunned an out-of-sorts Humphries with a 6-3 success, where he led 6-0 on 180s.

Premier League Darts night 11 results

Final

Chris Dobey 6-2 Stephen Bunting

Semi-finals

Chris Dobey 6-2 Nathan Aspinall

Stephen Bunting 6-5 Luke Littler

Quarter-finals

Chris Dobey 6-3 Luke Humphries

Gerwyn Price 3-6 Nathan Aspinall

Stephen Bunting 6-5 Michael van Gerwen

Luke Littler 6-5 Rob Cross

Premier League Darts table

Premier League Darts format and points system

Premier League Darts is played across 16 initial weeks in the league stage with quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final each night.

Each of the eight players is guaranteed to face the other seven in the quarter-finals in weeks one to seven and 9-15, with week eight and week 16 fixtures done off the table. It means we will get fourth v fifth in Sheffield on the final league-stage night, with the play-off spots potentially on the line.

Players earn two points per quarter-final win, an additional point if they win their semi-final and five for winning the night.

The top four players after the group stage progress to the play-off night at London's O2 Arena on 23 May, with first facing fourth and second against third in a best-of-19-leg match. The final, which is the best of 21 legs, follows.

If players are level on points after the 16 weeks then places are decided by nights won and then matches won.

Premier League Darts night 12 order of play

Thursday, 24 April - Liverpool

• Luke Humphries v Nathan Aspinall

• Michael van Gerwen v Luke Littler

• Rob Cross v Stephen Bunting

• Gerwyn Price v Chris Dobey