Chris Dobey has another reason to celebrate today after being included in the 2023 Premier League Darts line up.

Hollywood, who won his first career TV title at the 2023 Masters last night, took the final spot in the annual showcase of darts.

It continues a trend whereby the winner of The Masters gets a spot in the Premier League, something that’s happened for the last three years.

Chris Dobey lifts The Masters trophy and earns a Premier League Darts place.
Chris Dobey celebrates his Masters win and earns himself a spot in the Premier League. Credit: PDC

Big omissions in line up

Michael Smith, Peter Wright, defending champion Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price all qualify directly for the 2023 Premier League Darts as the top four ranked players in the world.

That meant there were four other spots to select, which Dobey secured by his victory in Milton Keynes.

The other three selected are 2021 winner Jonny Clayton, 2020 runner up Nathan Aspinall, and Belgium’s Dimitri Van den Bergh, who finished fifth in his only full time appearance in 2021.

This means there is no space in the eight for last year’s finalist Joe Cullen. The Rockstar missed double 16 to win the title on debut but will have to wait until 2024 to have another crack at the event.

World number five Luke Humphries, who many people assumed to be a shoe in, is also omitted. In addition, world number six Rob Cross, who Dobey beat to win The Masters, is also not involved.

Danny Noppert, who took victory in the UK Open last year, and 2022 European Champion Ross Smith, also did not make selection.

The 2023 Premier League begins Thursday 2 February at the SSE Arena in Belfast. The eight players will play 16 mini events during the season. Each league night will see quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final played over the best of 11 legs.

Points will be awarded each night to form the league table, from which the top four players will progress to the Play-Offs to determine the overall champion. The O2 in London will host this on Thursday 25 May, the first time it’s hosted the Play-Offs since 2019.

2023 Premier League Darts full line up

Michael Smith

Peter Wright

Michael van Gerwen

Gerwyn Price

Jonny Clayton

Nathan Aspinall

Dimitri Van den Bergh

Chris Dobey

2023 Premier League Darts line up
The full 2023 Premier League Darts line up.