2025 BetMGM Premier League Night 16 Preview: Final-Spot Showdown in the Steel City

The 2025 Premier League now rolls into the Steel City of Sheffield for the final night of regular league-phase action before Finals Night at the O2 in London. Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, and Gerwyn Price had all confirmed their places before Night 15 got underway, but one final spot remained up for grabs.

Nathan Aspinall took a massive step toward sealing that position with an impressive second night win of the campaign, triumphing last time out in Aberdeen.

Nathan Aspinall & Michael van Gerwen will contest for the final spot for the O2 (Photo by: Kieran Cleeves/PDC)

Night 15 Recap: Aspinall’s Massive Victory in Aberdeen

Night 15 in Aberdeen delivered one of the highest-quality evenings of the campaign, featuring perfection, drama, and a pivotal five-point haul for Nathan Aspinall.

‘The Asp’ claimed his second night win of the season with a composed and dominant display, dropping just five legs across his three matches. After winning a crucial quarter-final against Michael van Gerwen, Aspinall piled the pressure on his direct play-off rival by storming through the night and firmly strengthening his grip on fourth place.

Elsewhere, Stephen Bunting, who had already been eliminated from the play-off race, stunned Gerwyn Price despite the Welshman producing a perfect nine-dart leg for the second time this campaign. Price received another set of gold darts from sponsors BetMGM and extended his record for the most nine-darters in Premier League history. He now sits third on the all-time televised list behind only Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen.

Chris Dobey also delivered one of the best nights of his season, dismantling Rob Cross with his highest average of the campaign in their quarter-final before surviving match darts to edge out Luke Littler. However, his run ended in the final, undone by a doubling disaster.

The top two in the standings, Littler and Humphries, saved the best for their quarter-final showdown, producing 14 maximums between them. Littler averaged a staggering 115.96 to Humphries’ 110.01 in a breathtaking match that featured the second-highest combined average in Premier League history. It was a game that will long be remembered as one of the greatest ever in the competition.

👉 For a full breakdown of the action from Night 15 in Aberdeen, check out our detailed round-up here.

The Race to the O2: Who Claims the Final Spot?

Only one night of regular league-phase action remains in this year’s campaign. Three of the four Finals Night places have been locked in for a couple of weeks, but one spot still hangs in the balance, and it all comes down to this final night in Sheffield.

Luke Littler sits top of the table, as he has since Night 6. The World Champion and reigning Premier League champion is on the verge of breaking the points record under this format. Currently on 40 points, a quarter-final win in Sheffield would see him rewrite the record books once again.

Luke Humphries (31 points) and Gerwyn Price (24 points) also confirmed their spots at the O2 thanks to their performances on Night 14 in Leeds. Both now approach the final night with no pressure, able to enjoy their matchups while preparing for the play-offs.

The drama lies in the fight for fourth. With the draw based on table position, Nathan Aspinall and Michael van Gerwen face off in a straight shootout for the final place. Price is out of reach thanks to his three night wins, so it’s down to these two, but Aspinall has a crucial four-point buffer after his Night 15 triumph in Aberdeen. For MvG to snatch a spot, he must win on Night 16 and lift the title for the first time since Night 11 of the 2024 edition in Birmingham.

At the other end of the table, Stephen Bunting’s two points in Aberdeen have kept the race to avoid the wooden spoon alive. Sixth-placed Chris Dobey (15 points), seventh-placed Rob Cross (14), and eighth-placed Bunting (12) are all out of play-off contention but still have pride to play for as they try to avoid finishing bottom.

Here’s how the standings look heading into Night 16:

Position	Name	Nights Won	Leg Difference	Points
1st	Luke Littler (Q)	5	+47	40
2nd	Luke Humphries (Q)	3	+15	31
3rd	Gerwyn Price (Q)	3	+8	24
4th	Nathan Aspinall	2	+6	24
5th	Michael van Gerwen	0	-13	20
6th	Chris Dobey	1	-14	15
7th	Rob Cross	0	-18	14
8th	Stephen Bunting	1	-36	12

Quarter-Final Fixture Breakdown: What to Expect in Sheffield

Let’s take a closer look at the quarter-final match-ups for Night 16 at the Utilita Arena:

(1) Luke Littler vs. (8) Stephen Bunting

Luke Littler can break the Premier League points record in this format if he beats Stephen Bunting, having already won three of their four meetings this campaign. ‘The Bullet’ is battling to avoid bottom spot, and has shown great resilience, recovering from eight straight losses in the opening eight nights to earn 12 points across the last seven PL nights.

(4) Nathan Aspinall vs. (5) Michael van Gerwen

A huge clash with a play-off spot on the line. Aspinall has won four of five meetings against MvG this campaign, and victory here would seal his O2 place. The Dutchman must win this match and the night overall to qualify, something he hasn’t done since Night 11 in Birmingham last year.

(2) Luke Humphries vs. (7) Rob Cross

Luke Humphries has been a model of consistency, never dropping below second place and reaching seven finals. Rob Cross, by contrast, has just one win in his last seven PL games and hasn’t made a final all season. With play-off hopes gone, ‘Voltage’ is fighting to avoid bottom, while ‘Cool Hand’ looks to build momentum ahead of Finals Night.

(3) Gerwyn Price vs. (6) Chris Dobey

Gerwyn Price confirmed his place at the O2 back on Night 14 and faces Chris Dobey, who fell short in last week’s final despite a strong showing. ‘The Iceman’ leads their head-to-head 2-1 in this campaign and will aim to finish strong, while ‘Hollywood’ is still trying to steer clear of the dreaded bottom place.

Projected Semi-Finals

Winner of Littler/Bunting vs. Winner of Aspinall/MvG

Winner of Humphries/Cross vs. Winner of Price/Dobey

Final

Semi-Final 1 Winner vs. Semi-Final 2 Winner

Final Thoughts: Final Night Drama Awaits in Sheffield

Night 16 in Sheffield promises high drama, with players looking to build momentum ahead of Finals Night and one final play-off place still up for grabs. At the same time, the battle to avoid the bottom spot ensures every match carries significance, even for those already out of the running.

The Steel City crowd always brings a lively, football-style atmosphere, and that energy could prove decisive as players push for a strong finish. With Luke Littler chasing the all-time Premier League points record and several players fighting to avoid 8th place, there’s no shortage of subplots on the final night.

I’m going bold for my prediction: I think Michael van Gerwen will rise to the occasion and snatch the last play-off spot at the O2. The Dutchman, a seven-time Premier League champion, has only missed Finals Night once in his career, and despite a tough run of form in recent weeks, I believe he’ll find that trademark edge when it matters most.