Premier League Darts schedule, format, fixtures, prize money, TV channel and times

Premier League Darts gets underway on Thursday night as eight players begin their lengthy campaigns to be crowned champion in May. The invitational event travels the UK and Europe for 16 weeks before the play-offs in May when the winner will claim the trophy and a huge £275,000 top prize. Fresh off his record-breaking World Championship victory at Alexandra Palace in January, Luke Littler returns to defend his Premier League title which he won on debut last season.

However, the 18-year-old faces stiff competition once again this year, with World No.1 Luke Humphries and seven-time champions Michael van Gerwen two of the favourites to best The Nuke. Also involved are former world champions Gerwyn Price and Rob Cross, along with Nathan Aspinall, Stephen Bunting and Chris Dobey. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the Premier League’s return, including the schedule, format, fixtures, prize money, and how to watch on TV.

Each week the eight players play down from quarter-finals to crown a weekly winner. That weekly winner will get a £10,000 bonus, plus five points on the Premier League table. The runner-up gets three points and the semi-finalists two points. After 16 weeks of this format, the top four in the table head to the play-offs on 23 May. Night One – Thursday, February 6. The SSE Arena, Belfast. Quarter-Finals. Chris Dobey vs Gerwyn Price.

Stephen Bunting vs Rob Cross. Luke Littler vs Michael van Gerwen. Nathan Aspinall vs Luke Humphries. Night Two – Thursday, February 13. OVO Hydro, Glasgow. Rob Cross vs Luke Littler. Michael van Gerwen vs Stephen Bunting. Nathan Aspinall vs Gerwyn Price. Luke Humphries vs Chris Dobey. Night Three – Thursday, February 20. 3Arena, Dublin. Luke Humphries vs Stephen Bunting. Gerwyn Price vs Luke Littler. Rob Cross vs Nathan Aspinall.

Michael van Gerwen vs Chris Dobey. Night Four – Thursday, February 27. Westpoint Exeter. Michael van Gerwen vs Rob Cross. Gerwyn Price vs Luke Humphries. Chris Dobey vs Nathan Aspinall. Stephen Bunting vs Luke Littler. Night Five – Thursday, March 6. The Brighton Centre. Gerwyn Price vs Michael van Gerwen. Luke Littler vs Chris Dobey. Rob Cross vs Luke Humphries. Stephen Bunting vs Nathan Aspinall. Night Six – Thursday, March 13.

Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham. Luke Humphries vs Luke Littler. Rob Cross vs Chris Dobey. Stephen Bunting vs Gerwyn Price. Nathan Aspinall vs Michael van Gerwen. Night Seven – Thursday, March 20. Utilita Arena, Cardiff. Chris Dobey vs Stephen Bunting. Luke Humphries vs Michael van Gerwen. Luke Littler vs Nathan Aspinall. Gerwyn Price vs Rob Cross. Night Eight – Thursday, March 27. Utilita Arena, Newcastle. Fixtures confirmed following Night Seven.

Night Nine – Thursday, April 3. Uber Arena, Berlin. Nathan Aspinall vs Stephen Bunting. Luke Humphries vs Rob Cross. Chris Dobey vs Luke Littler. Michael van Gerwen vs Gerwyn Price. Night Ten – Thursday, April 10. AO Arena, Manchester. Chris Dobey vs Michael van Gerwen. Nathan Aspinall vs Rob Cross. Luke Littler vs Gerwyn Price. Stephen Bunting vs Luke Humphries. Night 11 – Thursday, April 17. Rotterdam Ahoy. Chris Dobey vs Luke Humphries.

Gerwyn Price vs Nathan Aspinall. Stephen Bunting vs Michael van Gerwen. Luke Littler vs Rob Cross. Night 12 – Thursday, April 24. M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool. Luke Humphries vs Nathan Aspinall. Michael van Gerwen vs Luke Littler. Rob Cross vs Stephen Bunting. Gerwyn Price vs Chris Dobey. Night 13 – Thursday, May 1. Utilita Arena, Birmingham. Luke Littler vs Stephen Bunting. Nathan Aspinall vs Chris Dobey. Luke Humphries vs Gerwyn Price.

Rob Cross vs Michael van Gerwen. Night 14 – Thursday, May 8. First Direct Arena, Leeds. Rob Cross vs Gerwyn Price. Nathan Aspinall vs Luke Littler. Michael van Gerwen vs Luke Humphries. Stephen Bunting vs Chris Dobey. Night 15 – Thursday, May 15. P&J Live, Aberdeen. Michael van Gerwen vs Nathan Aspinall. Gerwyn Price vs Stephen Bunting. Chris Dobey vs Rob Cross. Luke Littler vs Luke Humphries. Night 16 – Thursday, May 22.

Utilita Arena, Sheffield. Fixtures confirmed following Night 15. Play-Offs – Thursday, May 29. The O2, London. Semi-Finals and Final. Sky Sports will be showing all the action from the tournament, across Main Event and Action – check the schedule for the channel each night. The coverage gets underway at 7pm. Winner: £275,000. Runner-up: £125,000. Semi-finalists: £85,000. 5th place: £75,000. 6th place: £70,000.

7th place: £65,000. 8th place: £60,000. Weekly Winner Bonus: £10,000. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Arrow MORE: ‘He’s not a baby anymore’ – Michael van Gerwen aims digs at Luke Littler ahead of Premier League return. Arrow MORE: Luke Humphries responds after James Wade brands him and Luke Littler ‘lazy’.