Luke Littler is set to skip the quarter-final stage entirely and head straight into tonight’s semi-final at the Premier League Darts Night 3 in Glasgow, thanks to a dramatic last-minute withdrawal by his scheduled opponent, Michael van Gerwen.
The seven-time Premier League champion van Gerwen has been forced to pull out of the event at the OVO Hydro due to illness, a blow that comes just as the Dutch star was leading the early league standings after strong showings in Newcastle and Antwerp. A PDC statement confirmed the news: “Michael van Gerwen has withdrawn from Thursday’s BetMGM Premier League action in Glasgow due to illness. The seven-time Premier League champion has been ruled out of Night Three at the OVO Hydro tonight due to a medical issue.”
Under tournament rules, when a player withdraws before their quarter-final match, their opponent automatically receives a bye into the semi-finals. This means Littler advances without needing to throw a single dart in the opening knockout round. He also picks up two valuable league points—plus a +1 leg difference boost—recorded as if he had won the match comfortably. Meanwhile, van Gerwen suffers the penalty of zero points and a -6 leg difference hit, treated as a 0-6 defeat in the standings.
The teenage world champion, who has already shown his class this season, now finds himself in a privileged position. Littler will make his first appearance of the evening in the semi-finals, facing the winner of the all-Welsh quarter-final clash between Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price. That matchup promises intensity, with Price’s fiery crowd energy clashing against Clayton’s composed, big-match finishing. Littler, known for thriving under pressure, will step up around 9:45pm GMT (10:45pm WAT in Port Harcourt), ready to take on whichever Welsh star emerges victorious.
The revised order of play for Night 3 at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow (all times GMT; quarter-finals best-of-11 legs, semi-finals best-of-13, final best-of-19) now looks like this:
– 7:15pm: Stephen Bunting vs Gian van Veen
– 7:45pm: Luke Humphries vs Josh Rock
– 8:15pm: Luke Littler – BYE (Michael van Gerwen withdrew)
– 8:45pm: Jonny Clayton vs Gerwyn Price
Semi-finals:
– Winner of Bunting/van Veen vs Winner of Humphries/Rock
– Luke Littler vs Winner of Clayton/Price
Final to follow at approximately 10:15pm.
Coverage kicks off at 7pm GMT on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action in the UK, with global streaming available through PDCTV. Fans in Nigeria and across Africa can tune in via SuperSport or PDCTV to catch the live action.
This unexpected twist adds fresh intrigue to an already thrilling Premier League campaign. Van Gerwen entered the night as the table-topper, having reached the final on Night 2 and delivered consistent performances. His absence not only hands Littler an advantage but also shakes up the race for the top four spots that secure playoff qualification in May. Littler, the defending champion from last season, has been building momentum after a tight win over Humphries in Antwerp, and this bye keeps him fresh while rewarding him with points that could prove decisive in the long run.
The OVO Hydro crowd, famous for creating one of the most electric atmospheres in darts, will still deliver a raucous night. With heavyweight battles on the other side of the draw—world number one Humphries against the exciting Josh Rock, and Bunting taking on young Dutch talent Gian van Veen—the evening remains packed with potential classics.
For Littler, bypassing the quarters means conserving energy for what could be a grueling semi-final and possible final push. The 19-year-old sensation has repeatedly proven he can handle big stages, and tonight’s format shift gives him extra time to prepare mentally while watching the earlier matches unfold.
As the £1 million Premier League roadshow rolls on, nights like this remind fans why the format captivates: unpredictability, high stakes, and the chance for any player to seize an opportunity. With van Gerwen sidelined and wishing the Glasgow faithful well in his absence, all eyes now turn to Littler as he aims to capitalize on this stroke of fortune and keep his title defense firmly on track.
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