Premier League Darts 2024: Night nine predictions, betting tips, acca, order of play and Sky Sports TV time
The BetMGM Premier League Darts regular season continues in Belfast on Thursday so check out Chris Hammer's match-by-match guide to the action.
Darts betting tips: Premier League Night 9
1pt Luke Humphries (-1.5) to beat Luke Littler at 11/10 (Betway)
1pt Michael Smith to beat MVG, hit the most 180s and highest checkout at 9/2 (Sky Bet)
1pt two or more 120+ checkouts in Aspinall v Price at 2/1 (Sky Bet)
1pt Peter Wright (+1.5) to beat Rob Cross at 6/5 (Paddy Power)
SL Acca: 1pt Humphries, Smith (+1.5), Price & Wright (+1.5) at 17/2 with Sky Bet
Thursday March 28: Night Nine
- TV Coverage: Sky Sports (1900 GMT)
- Format: Quarter-Finals, best of 11 legs
- Venue: SSE Arena, Belfast
Luke Humphries (8/13) v Luke Littler (5/4)
- Head to Head: 1-3 (TV: 1-3)
- 2024 PL Average: 102.70 - 100.1
- 2024 PL 180s per leg: 0.40 - 0.34
- 2024 PL checkout percentage: 43.29% - 35.55%
- 2024 PL legs won with 100+ C/O: 10% - 8%
Luke Humphries has lost three of his opening four meetings with Luke Littler but thankfully for Cool Hand, his sole victory came on the biggest stage of all.
Littler has beaten him in January's Dutch Darts Masters and both Premier League matches so far this campaign which came in the opening two weeks - but since then Humphries has worked his way through the gears and is now producing a level of darts that nobody else is currently matching.
He's averaging over 102 over his 18 matches so far - which is remarkable when you think that's more matches than someone would play in the old Premier League format and only six different players ever managed a seasonal average of over 100.
More importantly he's now won nine PL matches in a row - averaging over 101 in eight of them - and picked up 15 points to launch him clear at the top of the table. Five of those averages have been over 105, including a 113, while he's fired in 66 180s overall this season and boasts the second most clinical checkout percentage.
It would be ridiculously harsh to say Littler is struggling on his Premier League debut just because he's yet to win a night yet and only reached one final. He's averaging over 100 across his first 15 matches, he's won six of his eight quarter-finals and a couple of weeks ago he averaged 114 against Michael van Gerwen.
His weakness so far has been his doubling and he can't afford to be wasteful against Humphries if he's to make it four wins in a row against the world number one.
There'll be plenty of 180s on show but ultimately I'm siding with Humphries to come through with a little room to spare.
Verdict: 6-4
CLICK HERE to bet on Luke Humphries v Luke Littler with Sky Bet
CLICK HERE to back Luke Humphries (-1.5) to beat Luke Littler with Sky Bet
Michael Smith (5/4) v Michael van Gerwen (8/13)
- Head to Head: 16-43 (TV: 11-21)
- 2024 PL Average: 95.05 - 97.41
- 2024 PL 180s per leg: 0.37 - 0.32
- 2024 PL checkout percentage: 38.22% - 46.41%
- 2024 PL legs won with 100+ C/O: 13.69% - 9.85%
Michael van Gerwen's Premier League season has hit the buffers after his run of three successive nightly successes and he's now lost four quarter-finals in a row and five in total across the opening eight weeks.
That's quite incredible to think all his 15 points have come from just three weeks which highlights a combination of inconsistency and his shoulder issues over the past few rounds of action.
Michael Smith did beat him on opening night this season and should be feeling confident of repeating the trick in Belfast following a fine run to the Dublin final last week, where he was eventually stopped by the relentless Luke Humphries.
Bully Boy boasts a higher 180 per leg ratio than Michael van Gerwen while he's also landing 100+ checkouts on a significantly more regular basis so far. It's not often I'd back a player to achieve the Match Treble against MVG but I feel he's vulnerable to it at this moment in time.
Verdict: 6-3
CLICK HERE to bet on Michael Smith v Michael van Gerwen with Sky Bet
CLICK HERE to back Michael Smith to win, hit the most 180s and highest checkout with Sky Bet
Nathan Aspinall (5/4) v Gerwyn Price (8/13)
- Head to Head: 11-18 (TV: 8-8)
- 2024 PL Average: 95.54 - 98.78
- 2024 PL 180s per leg: 0.27 - 0.29
- 2024 PL checkout percentage: 33.64% - 39.23%
- 2024 PL legs won with 100+ C/O: 13.69% - 17.64%
Statistically, Gerwyn Price has played a lot better than his meagre points haul of seven points and there are signs to suggest his fortunes are about to change.
The Iceman averaged over 100 in each of his last three Premier League matches spanning two weeks that all went the full distance - but he lost two of them to Peter Wright and Michael Smith either side of a fine win over Michael van Gerwen.
Nathan Aspinall has got just rewards for his performances over the past fortnight, averaging over 100 in three of his five matches and collecting five points overall, with his two defeats coming against Luke Humphries.
I'd just about side Price to advance to the semi-finals but I'm more confident about the chance of seeing some 100+ checkouts given these two players are the most prolific at winning legs this way.
Of Price's nine, which have won a whopping 17.6% of his legs, five have been 120 or higher while Aspinall, who has won 13.69% of his legs with a 100+ checkout, has fired in six of his 10 from 120 or more. There's a special Sky Bet RAB of two or more 120+ checkouts in the match and I like the look of that.
Verdict: 4-6
CLICK HERE to bet on Nathan Aspinall v Gerwyn Price with Sky Bet
CLICK HERE to bet on two or more 120+ checkouts in the match with Sky Bet
Rob Cross (4/11) v Peter Wright (2/1)
- Head to Head: 17-13, 2 draws (TV: 9-6, 2 draws)
- 2024 PL Average: 98.17 - 93.61
- 2024 PL 180s per leg: 0.24 - 0.24
- 2024 PL checkout percentage: 40.00% - 28.97%
- 2024 PL legs won with 100+ C/O: 13.63% - 3.2%
Rob Cross has averaged well over 100 across his last four Premier League matches but only has two points to show for his efforts in that time and has lost his last two quarter-finals to Nathan Aspinall in deciding legs.
Voltage's performance levels have been very consistent of late and has only dropped below a 96 average in one of his last 14 matches in all competitions so there's plenty for him to be positive about.
He's a very fair favourite to see off rock-bottom Peter Wright but I feel it'll be closer than most expect as Snakebite bids to build on his recent recovery.
Wright picked up his first win of the campaign against Gerwyn Price a couple of weeks ago and then enjoyed a run to a Players Championship quarter-final, so we shouldn't read too much into his thrashing at the hands of Luke Humphries, who is making light work of anyone at the moment.
The two-time world champion is getting his game together and can push Cross all the way.
Verdict: 5-6
CLICK HERE to bet on Rob Cross v Peter Wright with Sky Bet
CLICK HERE to bet on Wright (+1.5) to win the match with Sky Bet
Premier League Darts 2024: Averages, 180s and checkout statistics
TOURNAMENT AVERAGE After week 8
- Luke Humphries: 102.70
- Luke Littler: 100.10
- Michael van Gerwen: 99.21
- Gerwyn Price: 98.78
- Rob Cross: 98.17
- Michael Smith: 96.65
- Nathan Aspinall: 95.54
- Peter Wright: 93.61
MOST 180s & 180s PER LEG After week 8
- Luke Humphries: 66 (166 legs, 0.40 per leg)
- Michael Smith: 55 (149 legs, 0.37)
- Luke Littler: 50 (147 legs, 0.34)
- Michael van Gerwen: 45 (139 legs, 0.32)
- Nathan Aspinall: 40 (148 legs, 0.27)
- Gerwyn Price: 33 (115 legs, 0.29)
- Rob Cross: 32 (132 legs, 0.24)
- Peter Wright: 20 (84 legs, 0.24)
DOUBLES AND CHECKOUT PERCENTAGE After week 8
- Michael van Gerwen: 46.41% (71/153)
- Luke Humphries: 43.29% (100/231)
- Rob Cross: 40.00% (66/165)
- Gerwyn Price: 39.23% (51/130)
- Michael Smith: 38.22% (73/191)
- Luke Littler: 35.55% (75/211)
- Nathan Aspinall: 33.64% (73/217)
- Peter Wright: 28.97% (31/107)
100+ CHECKOUTS, HIGHEST CHECKOUTS & % LEGS WON WITH 100+ CHECKOUT After week 8
- Michael Smith: 10 (13.69% legs won with 100+ checkout)
100+ Checkouts: 170, 146, 125, 122x2, 120x3, 113, 107 - Nathan Aspinall: 10 (13.69%)
100+ Checkouts: 170, 160x2, 144, 122, 120, 114, 104, 100x2 - Luke Humphries: 10 (10%)
100+ Checkouts: 143, 130x2, 121, 120, 117, 116, 108, 105, 104 - Gerwyn Price: 9 (17.64%)
100+ Checkouts: 170, 160, 124, 120x2, 117x2, 115, 100 - Rob Cross: 9 (13.63%)
100+ Checkouts: 144x2, 132, 129, 121, 116, 110, 109, 100 - Michael van Gerwen: 7 (9.85%)
100+ Checkouts: 136, 132, 127, 120, 110, 107 - Luke Littler: 6 (8.00%)
100+ Checkouts: 170, 140, 138, 130, 103, 100 - Peter Wright: 1 (3.2%)
100+ Checkouts: 156,
Darts: Related content
- 2024 PDC Darts Calendar
- 2024 Premier League Season
- What's easier, a nine-darter or a 147?
- Watch: Royal Rumble and other new tournament ideas
- Watch: How much do darts players earn?
- Watch: Is Luke Littler the next Phil Taylor?
- Watch: Building the perfect darts player
- Watch: How to become a darts professional
- 2024 World Darts draw, schedule & results
- 2024 World Darts Championship guide
- How legends would fare today
- Troubles and triumphs
- Tournament ideas for darts
- 'What If' moments in darts
- Agony of missed match darts
- Good, Bad, Ugly: Nicholson on darts shirts
- Referees in darts
- Calling the shots in darts
- Weird actions in darts
- Hidden talents in darts
- Superstitions in darts
- Routes to glory
- Paul Nicholson's five darts drills
- Paul Nicholson's five mental tips
- Paul Nicholson's five practice games
- Worst losers in darts
- World number ones in darts
- Best players never to be number one
- Five characters in darts
- Do averages lie?
- Greatest Tournaments Ever
- Paul Nicholson's Ally Pally tales
- Watch all the Ally Pally nine-darters
- Players everyone hates to face
- Players everyone loves to face
- How to make it as a pro?
- How much money do players earn?
- Greatest darts rivalries
- Rivalries to cherish
- Be canny with counting
- Phil Taylor's greatest display
- Greatest World Championship displays
- World Cup of Great Darts performances
- Sky Bet's darts odds
MOST READ
Next Off
Fixtures & Results
