The PDC Premier League rolls into Belfast this Thursday night as the best darts players in the world take to the stage in front of over 8,000 fans at the SSE Arena.

For those unaware of the concept of the Premier League, it basically consists of the world's top eight darting superstars going head to head with one another across seventeen nights, with venues stretching right across Great Britain and Ireland and into the heart of Europe.

The format is pretty straightforward: the eight players meet in 4 quarter-finals over the best of 11 legs; the winners then progress to the semi-final, with the two winners then facing off against one another to decide the night's champion. Win the event on the night, and you pick up five points, runner-up scores 3 points and the beaten semi-finalists two points each.

World Champion, 19-year-old Luke Littler, has had a slow start to the competition and currently lies in 6th place out of the 8 contenders with his game, the opening match of the night, seeing him up against the current league leader, the Welshman Johnny Clayton, who has been in scintillating form so far in the league.

World Number two Luke Humphries is in action in the second game of the night when he will take on the popular Stephen Bunting, who is still seeking his first points of this campaign.

Week one winner Michael Van Gerwen takes on the in-form Gerwyn Price, who only this week picked up the latest Players Championship with an average of 103 per throw. Both players have only recently returned from illness, so it will be interesting to see how this one pans out.

And finally, on the night expect the biggest cheer of the night for the fourth quarter final as local boy made good, Josh Rock, takes to the stage to take on the Dutchman, Gian Van Veen. World Number nine Rock is also still seeking his first points in the league, but in Van Veen, he faces a man bang in form, having reached the recent final of the Polish Open, securing a nine-dart finish along the way.

Tickets for the event are sold out, but you can still watch the action live on Sky Sports.

Article by Colin Hopkins

menuchevron-downarrow-right