Hat-Trick for Humphries after Dublin delight to move clear at the top of the Premier League table

On Thursday, Luke Humphries extended his impressive record in the BetMGM Premier League by winning his third consecutive night in Dublin.

The world number one arrived in the Irish capital hot off victories in Brighton and Nottingham, and he maintained his lead with a Night Eight victory in the Emerald Isle.

Humphries won the £10,000 extra prize with three ton-topping averages, defeating Peter Wright, Nathan Aspinall, and Michael Smith to extend his lead to seven points.

The 29-year-old began Thursday’s action with a commanding 6-1 victory over Peter Wright, averaging 106 and producing two breathtaking ton-plus checkouts in the process.

This set the tone for another amazing night for the World Champion, who landed six 180s to defeat a determined Nathan Aspinall in the semi-finals, a rematch of last week’s Nottingham final.

Humphries then delivered another brutal performance to defeat Smith in the evening’s main event, launching the battle with legs of 12, 13, and 11 darts to threaten a record-breaking average.

Smith converted 113 and 125 combinations to win both legs, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Humphries from winning the Premier League for the ninth time in a row.

“I’m really enjoying myself,” said the Newbury-born star, who could become the first player in Premier League history to win four successive nights with victory in Belfast next week.

“At the start of the season it felt really tough for me, but now I’m enjoying the game, and that’s when I’m at my best.

“I feel much more comfortable now. I feel like I belong here, and the last three weeks have just been fantastic.

“I know I’m not unbeatable, but I feel like I’m playing at a level where it’s going to take a big performance to beat me.

“I loved tonight. It was the loudest crowd I’ve ever played in front of. The atmosphere was incredible.

“As I said last week, I have got Irish heritage in my family, and I’m sure my Mum will be super-proud tonight, so it’s a really special feeling.”

Despite Humphries’ heroics, Smith had another successful night, winning high-quality matches against Luke Littler and Gerwyn Price to proceed to his third nightly final of the season.

The 2023 World Champion rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Littler in the last eight, winning five of the last six legs for his third victory against the teenager in four encounters.

Smith then overcame a match dart to defeat Price in a thrilling semi-final clash, scoring six 180s and clinching the deal with a nerveless 104 checkout in the decider.

Earlier in the night, Price stopped his four-game losing streak with a thrilling deciding-leg win over Michael van Gerwen, avenging his defeat to the Dutchman in last year’s Dublin final.

The Welshman averaged 102 and hit six maximums to hand Van Gerwen his fourth successive defeat for the first time in Premier League history.

In the quarter-finals, Aspinall won a last-leg shoot-out over Rob Cross, securing his fourth consecutive win in a high-quality battle in which both players averaged 101 points.

The BetMGM Premier League continues at Belfast’s SSE Arena on Thursday, March 28, with Humphries renewing his rivalry with Littler in the evening’s first quarter-final.

Van Gerwen will look to win again when he faces Smith, Price will face Aspinall, and Wright and Cross will also compete for a spot in the semi-finals.