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Littler achieves record venue score but loses on 2025 Premier League Darts Night 1

Luke Littler reacts during his match against Michael van Gerwen on night one of the 2025 BetMGM Premier League at the SSE Arena, Belfast <i>(Image: Liam McBurney/PA Wire)</i>
Luke Littler reacts during his match against Michael van Gerwen on night one of the 2025 BetMGM Premier League at the SSE Arena, Belfast (Image: Liam McBurney/PA Wire)

LUKE ‘The Nuke’ Littler’s return to Belfast did not go to plan.

It was at the SSE Arena on Night 9 last year that the Warrington superstar won his first Premier League Darts event, but Michael van Gerwen made sure there was to be no repeat as the new season got going.

Incredibly, 18-year-old Littler rattled in a scoring average of 114 – the highest ever achieved in the tournament in Belfast - and still lost in an electrifying contest that went down to a last-leg decider.

As in his two World Series of Darts and Winmau Darts Masters exits this year, his success rate on the doubles and bull - ending on a decent 45 per cent - is what cost him.

Nevertheless, the reigning champion and world title holder threw darts more than good enough to win most matches.

In comparison, seven-times Premier League winner Van Gerwen finished on 31.6 per cent with his doubles and an average 105.91 but he nailed his arrows when it mattered to progress to the semi-finals on Night 1 and send ‘The Nuke’ home with no points.

The audience were on the edge of their seats from start to finish for this rematch of the World Championship showdown of last month.

It was a contest played at a breathtaking pace, epitomised by the Dutchman holding throw in the first leg in 11 darts in just 57 seconds.

Littler responded with an 11-dart win of his own but missed bull to take the next leg before MVG checked out on 80 for 2-1.

A wonderful 161 checkout from the teenager levelled matters and, after missing bull for a 127 finish in the fifth leg, he cleaned up after the Green Machine was off target with three shots at double.

When ‘The Nuke’ missed double 20 for a 72 checkout MVG broke back for 3-3.

Luke Littler reacts during his match against Michael van Gerwen on night one of the 2025 BetMGM Premier League at the SSE Arena, Belfast (Image: Liam McBurney/PA Wire)

Again Littler got to a double first in the next leg but he was wayward for double 13 and Van Gerwen finished on 117 to take a 4-3 lead.

Mighty Mike landed double 10 with his third dart in hand to punish Littler’s two missed doubles and go 5-3 in front.

But if the Dutchman thought it would be a formality from there, he was mistaken.

After missing his double for a 127 in the next leg he got another visit and fluffed his lines, letting Littler off the hook to pull a leg back.

Both fired in 180s to start the 10th leg but Littler held his throw to force the last-leg decider.

MVG, on throw, missed bull to seal the match from 124, leaving Littler to try and win it from 167.

He gave it his all, landing treble 20 with his first dart and when he wired the wrong side of treble 19 he turned to the side and grimaced.

Van Gerwen returned to finish on 25 and complete the job in one of the best matches in Premier League history.