Littler produces more magic to reach Paddy Power World Darts Championship semi finals
Luke Littler produced his most complete performance of the 2025 Paddy Power World Darts Championship to reach the semi finals for a second straight year.
The Nuke, who made the final on debut 12 months ago, is now two matches away from going one better and becoming the youngest winner of the Sid Waddell Trophy, as he defeated the former two time semi finalist and 2019 UK Open champion Nathan Aspinall 5-2.
Littler will take on Stephen Bunting in the second semi final tomorrow, after The Bullet defeated Peter Wright. The other semi final will be between Michael van Gerwen and Chris Dobey, who beat Callan Rydz and Gerwyn Price respectively in the afternoon session.

Littler defeats Aspinall, Bunting next after he beats Wright
Littler had performed well in patches throughout the Paddy Power World Darts Championship, but this was his best performance by far of the tournament, as he averaged 101.54 to defeat Aspinall.
He won six of the first seven legs of the match, taking a 2-0 lead in sets and at one point averaging 120. He then missed bullseye for a 3-0 lead in sets in the deciding leg of the third, allowing The Asp to ping double 16 for a 41 shot and deservedly get a set on the board.
Aspinall actually had a chance to level the contest in the fourth, missing bull for an 83 outshot. Littler then held on double 10 in the fourth leg, before cleaning up an 11 dart break on 82 in the deciding leg, moving two sets in front once again.
Littler then won the fifth set with a 12 dart hold on 81, before both held and broke in the sixth. The Asp then pinged a 70 outshot to win the deciding leg, cutting the deficit to 4-2. However, it only delayed the inevitable, as 40 darts later, which included a 101 checkout, Littler pinged tops to end the contest.
It’s the eighth time that Littler has hit an average over a ton or better in his first 11 games at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship, the first time anyone has ever done that.
The Nuke will take on Stephen Bunting in the second semi final, after The Bullet defeated Peter Wright 5-2.
In a match with just five 180s in 26 legs of darts, Bunting’s consistency and big finishing was the key difference. After holding in the first set, he broke in the second set with a lovely 130 outshot, before pinging double four in the next leg to go 2-0 in front.
Bunting continued his dominance, winning the third set in a decider, before whitewashing the two time World Champion in the fourth.
Snakebite though offered some resistance, pinging double 16 to whitewash The Bullet in the fifth set, before a stunning 133 checkout gave him the sixth set and cut the deficit to 4-2.
However, that would be the last leg Wright would win, as The Bullet whitewashed the seventh set, hitting double 10 to reach his first semi final at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship since 2021.
MvG and Dobey set for semi final clash
The afternoon session focused on the bottom half of the draw, with van Gerwen and Rydz playing out an excellent contest where both averaged over 103.
MvG hit an astonishing 154 checkout in the second leg of the contest, setting the standard for the match almost from the beginning. Both held throw in the first four sets, meaning it was 2-2 going into the fifth.
Both missed darts for the fifth set, but eventually The Green Machine hit double one to hold throw and go back in front. He then found an 11 dart break in the third leg of the sixth, before pinging double 18 to move one away.
The Riot though fought back in the seventh, breaking in the third leg on tops, before pinging a two tops finish on 99 to cut the deficit to 4-3. He then had a chance to force a deciding set in the fifth leg of the eighth, but missed two to do so. Van Gerwen then pinged double 16 for a 48 shot that saw him get over the line for his ninth semi final appearance at the World Darts Championship, in a game that featured 31 180s.
Van Gerwen will take on Chris Dobey in the last four, after the North East player defeated Gerwyn Price 5-3 in the opening last eight tie.
The Iceman started the brighter, taking the opening set with an 11 dart break in the deciding leg, before holding in the second set. Hollywood found a 107 shot to win set three, but the biggest moment of the match came in set four.
In the deciding leg, Price missed double seven for a 3-1 lead, allowing Dobey to ping a 76 shot on tops to level the contest, letting out a huge roar of emotion. He then won six of the next eight legs, taking the next two sets and moving within one
The seventh went to a decider, where Hollywood squandered four match darts, allowing the 2021 World Champion to ping tops and get the game back on throw. However, the following set, Dobey finally delivered, pinging a 92 double double 18 outshot to seal his maiden World Darts Championship semi final place.
However, that would be the last leg Wright would win, as The Bullet whitewashed the seventh set, hitting double 10 to reach his first semi final at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship since 2021.
2025 Paddy Power World Darts Championship Quarter Final Results
Afternoon Session
Chris Dobey 5-3 Gerwyn Price
Michael van Gerwen 5-3 Callan Rydz
Evening Session
Stephen Bunting 5-2 Peter Wright
Luke Littler v Nathan Aspinall