Night 14 of the Premier League Darts in Leeds saw teenage sensation Luke Littler claim his sixth nightly victory, extending his lead at the top of the table. Local hero Luke Humphries reached the final, dramatically moving into a coveted playoff spot and displacing Michael van Gerwen. However, it was a night of missed opportunities for Gian van Veen, who agonisingly squandered two match darts.
Quarter-Final Highlights: Close Calls and Clear Wins
Clayton Dominates Price in Welsh Derby
The night kicked off with a Welsh showdown, where Jonny Clayton delivered a commanding 6-2 victory over Gerwyn Price. Price, struggling with his doubles, missed four in the opening leg, allowing Clayton to take an early lead. Despite Price showing flashes of brilliance with a 13-darter (hitting 13 darts to finish a leg), Clayton remained clinical, sealing the win with a 68-finish and a second match dart on D5.
Littler Edges Van Gerwen in Thriller
In a highly anticipated clash, Luke Littler defeated Michael van Gerwen 6-5, leaving the Dutchman’s playoff hopes hanging by a thread. Littler stormed to an early 4-1 lead, including an impressive 11-darter. However, Van Gerwen mounted a spectacular comeback, reeling off three legs in 11, 11, and 13 darts to level the score at 4-4. Littler then responded with a crucial 141 checkout (finishing the leg by hitting 141 points with three darts), only for Van Gerwen to force a decider (a final, eleventh leg to determine the winner). In the tense final leg, Littler held his nerve with a 13-darter to secure the win.
Humphries Survives Scare Against Rock
Playing in front of his home crowd, Luke Humphries endured a nail-biting 6-5 victory against Josh Rock. The match saw the first four legs go against the throw (the player who didn’t start the leg won it), highlighted by Humphries’ stunning 124 bullseye finish. Humphries then found his rhythm, taking a 5-3 lead. However, he squandered four match darts, allowing Rock to force a decider. “Cool Hand Luke” ultimately sealed the deal with a composed 84 checkout in 14 darts, sending the Leeds crowd wild.
Bunting Capitalizes on Van Veen’s Missed Chances
In a frustrating match for Gian van Veen, he narrowly lost 6-5 to Stephen Bunting, missing two critical match darts. Van Veen started strong with a 2-0 lead, but Bunting steadily fought back, taking the lead himself. The match went to a deciding eleventh leg where, despite some powerful scoring, Van Veen missed D12 twice on 81, allowing Bunting to step in and claim the victory on D16. This missed opportunity severely hampered Van Veen’s playoff aspirations.
Semi-Final Showdowns: Deciders Galore
Littler Overcomes Clayton in Another Decider
The first semi-final saw Luke Littler once again emerge victorious in a decider, beating Jonny Clayton 6-5. The match was a tight affair, with both players exchanging holds of throw (winning a leg when you start it). Littler broke back immediately after Clayton’s 81-finish break. With the score tied at 5-5, Littler held his throw in the final leg with a 19-darter to progress to the final.
Humphries’ Incredible Comeback Against Bunting
In a truly dramatic second semi-final, Luke Humphries staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Stephen Bunting 6-5. Bunting initially took a 2-0 lead, but Humphries battled back with 13 and 12-darters. The match remained incredibly close, with Bunting checking out 121 on D18 to take a 4-3 lead and then breaking Humphries to lead 5-3. Serving for the match, Bunting faltered, allowing Humphries to break back and force a decider. In the final leg, Bunting started with a 180 (hitting three treble 20s with three darts for the maximum score) and left himself on tops (double 20) after 12 darts, but missed three crucial match darts. Humphries seized his opportunity, hitting D8 to complete an astonishing turnaround and reach the final on home soil.
The Grand Final: Littler vs. Humphries
Littler Denies Home Hero in Thrilling Decider
The Night 14 final delivered a classic encounter between the two Lukes, with Luke Littler ultimately defeating Luke Humphries 6-5. Humphries started strong with a 94 checkout, but Littler quickly responded. The third leg saw Humphries hit a spectacular 132 checkout (Bull-T19-Bullseye), taking a 2-1 lead. Littler matched this with a brilliant 146 checkout for 2-2. The match continued with high-quality darts and missed opportunities on both sides. Humphries took a 4-3 lead with a 76 checkout, and both players then traded 11-darters to keep their throws. In the tenth leg, Humphries had a match dart on tops for 6-4 but missed. Littler capitalized, checking out 64 to force a decider. In the dramatic final leg, Littler produced a vital 180 and then expertly checked out on D10, denying Humphries a dream home victory and securing his sixth nightly win of the season.
Premier League Darts 2026: Night 14 Results Summary
-
Quarter-Finals:
- Gerwyn Price 2-6 Jonny Clayton
- Luke Littler 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
- Josh Rock 5-6 Luke Humphries
- Gian van Veen 5-6 Stephen Bunting
-
Semi-Finals:
- Jonny Clayton 5-6 Luke Littler
- Luke Humphries 6-5 Stephen Bunting
-
Final:
- Luke Littler 6-5 Luke Humphries
Looking Ahead: Premier League Darts Night 15 in Birmingham
The darting action continues next Thursday with Night 15 of the Premier League Darts 2026 at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham. The race for the playoffs is heating up, with every point crucial.
Upcoming Quarter-Final Matchups:
- Josh Rock vs. Gian van Veen
- Gerwyn Price vs. Michael van Gerwen
- Luke Humphries vs. Stephen Bunting
- Jonny Clayton vs. Luke Littler
Premier League Darts Prize Money Breakdown
The Premier League Darts offers substantial prize money, making it the second-highest paying tournament in darts after the PDC World Championship. It’s important to note that these earnings do not count towards the PDC Order of Merit (the official ranking system).
- Winner: £350,000
- Runner-Up: £170,000
- Semi-Finalists: £110,000 each
- 5th Place: £95,000
- 6th Place: £90,000
- 7th Place: £85,000
- 8th Place: £80,000
- Bonus: £10,000 for each nightly winner
- Total Prize Fund: £1,250,000
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
