2024 BetMGM Premier League Darts: Night Six Preview

Nathan Aspinall won Night Five in Exeter on the previous Thursday. The current World Matchplay Champion will attempt to replicate Michael van Gerwen’s accomplishment earlier this season of recording consecutive nightly weeks when travelling to Brighton.

The Asp has had a remarkable revival, having lost his first three quarter finals in the opening three nights of the 2024 BetMGM Premier League, to having reaching the final in Newcastle against Michael van Gerwen and winning the final last week in Exeter against Rob Cross, consequently has seen earn him eight points out of a potential ten.

His opening test of the evening, is the teenage sensation and recent UK Open Quarter Finalist – Luke Littler. The Asp and the Nuke have previously clashed in the Bahrain Darts Masters, when Littler landed a inch-perfect nine-darter in the opening leg. If victorious, Nathan Aspinall will leapfrog Luke Littler in the BetMGM Premier League standings.

 

World Number One v Wales’ Number One

In the opening fixture of the night, Luke Humphries locks horns with Gerwyn Price. With both situated in the bottom three, it the perfect chance to generate some much needed momentum ahead of a semi-final clash against either the League Leader Michael van Gerwen or third placed Rob Cross.

By this point last season, the Iceman had made it to two finals, and while he only won one of them, he was in a better position than he is now, but the Welshman has yet to find his feet despite making the opening nights final against the Bully Boy, which finished convincingly in Michael Smith’s favour – 6-2.

Since then, he has only made it to the semi-finals once in four attempts, losing comfortably to his opponent tonight, Luke Humphries, 6-3.

The World Champion and UK Open runner-up had a similar trajectory, reaching one final against MVG and losing 6-5. Before winning only two quarterfinals out of a possible four.

It promises to be a classic, with Price still looking to avenge the defeat he suffered in the World Grand Prix Final in October 2023 against Cool Hand.

 

2023 Premier League Winner v 2019 Premier League Runner-Up

After five game weeks, reigning Champion Michael van Gerwen leads by six points; however, if Voltage defeats Mighty Mike, this advantage will be reduced once more.

 

 

With both Rob Cross and Luke Littler sniffing about, looking for the ideal moment to strike. It’s fair to say that last week did not go as planned for Van Gerwen; after three consecutive nightly victories, he was eliminated in the opening quarter-final versus Humphries, where he failed to strike a 180.

Cross seized on Van Gerwen’s error, blazing his way to the final, defeating Gerwyn Price and Luke Littler in the process. However, he was unable to fully capitalise after being defeated by Nathan Aspinall.

The duo have already met in the Semi-Final of Night Three in Glasgow, when Van Gerwen’s spectacular performance propelled him ahead of the World Number Five.

Night Two’s Runner Up takes on Night Five’s Winner

Despite only making the semi-finals last time out, it was enough to cement a place within the top two for the Nuke, courtesy of leg differential.

Both Aspinall and Littler struggled in the recent UK Open, losing to Damon Heta, the Australian number one. The Heat proved to be too much for both Aspinall and Littler, who were eliminated in Round Five and Quarter Finals, respectively.

The Asp and the Warrington Wonderkid meet for the first time this season in the Premier League, with Aspinall still seeking to move up the ladder, where he now ranks fourth. With consecutive nightly victory, the Stockport Star will move up to second place in the BetMGM Premier League rankings.

 

Consecutive nightly wins. It has only been achieved thus far by Van Gerwen, can the Asp rewrite history once again?

The Former World Champions Collide

The 2021/22 World Champion faces off against the 2022/23 World Champion, each hoping to rack up crucial points.

Peter Wright – the 2021/22 World Champion – remains the only player who has failed to open his account this season, having lost five consecutive quarterfinals.

Although, Snake Bite defeated the previous holder of the UK Open, on the weekend, Andrew Gilding, in an utter thrashing by ten legs to one, sporting a 101.56 average and displaying glimpses of his former snaky self.

He faces Night One Winner Michael Smith, who has only won once since his opening night win. This means he has dropped to fifth place in the 2024 BetMGM Premier League rankings.

Both face up for the first time this season, and with both having excellent scoring ability, it has the potential to be an action-packed blockbuster.

 

 

2024 BetMGM Premier League Night Six – The Brighton Centre

Thursday 7th March

Quarter-Finals

Luke Humphries v Gerwyn Price

Rob Cross v Michael van Gerwen

Nathan Aspinall v Luke Littler

Michael Smith v Peter Wright