It is the seventh year that the Premier League has been held in Rotterdam. In 2016 and 2017 a Premier League night was held at the Ahoy. Michael van Gerwen faced Phil Taylor both times and Ahoy was fired twice. He won both times Mighty Mike with The authority. In 2018 and 2019 there were even two Premier League nights in Rotterdam. 2018 was – in terms of performances in Rotterdam – a Premier League year to forget for Van Gerwen with defeats to Peter Wright and Raymond van Barneveld. Revenge on both rivals followed in 2019.

The format has changed since 2022, when the Premier League returned to Rotterdam after a coronavirus break. Since then, the tournament has been played in a tournament format with quarter-final, semi-final and final. In the first year, Van Gerwen immediately managed to reach the final in front of his home crowd, but it was Joe Cullen who sent the Dutch darts fans home disappointed. Something Nathan Aspinall did last year. The Asp promptly beat Van Gerwen in the quarter-finals and thus created a huge upset in a “windy” Ahoy.

2016: Michael van Gerwen -Phil Taylor 7-5
2017: Michael van Gerwen -Phil Taylor 7-4
2018: Michael van Gerwen -Peter Wright 5-7
2018: Michael van Gerwen – Raymond van Barneveld 5-7
2019: Michael van Gerwen -Peter Wright 7-1
2019: Michael van Gerwen – Raymond van Barneveld 7-1
2020: No extradition in Rotterdam due to the corona virus
2021: No extradition in Rotterdam due to the corona virus
2022: Michael van Gerwen – Michael Smith 6-5
2022: Michael van Gerwen -Johnny Clayton 6-3
2022: Michael van Gerwen -Joe Cullen 5-6
2023: Michael van Gerwen -Nathan Aspinall 5-6

It won’t be easy for Van Gerwen, who has won the Premier League seven times and is therefore the record holder, in Ahoy. World champion Luke Humphries is the opponent in the quarter-finals (the first match). Until last week, Humphries was still the leader in the Premier League but had to give up that position for namesake Luke Littler at Birmingham. Littler lost in the final to Van Gerwen, who moved up to third and gave himself some breathing room in terms of a Premier League place. After sixteen rounds of play, the top four darts players advance to a play-off at London’s O2 Arena.

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Michael Smith – Luke Littler
Rob Cross – Gerwyn Price
Peter Wright – Nathan Aspinall
Michael van Gerwen -Luke Humphries

Semi-Finals:
Michael Smith/Luke Littler – Rob Cross/Gerwyn Price
Peter Wright/Nathan Aspinall – Michael van Gerwen/Luke Humphries

Final
If van Gerwen wins in Rotterdam, he will not only be doing very well in terms of a Premier League play-off spot, but he will also be able to earn £10k (over €11.5k). Each night’s winner receives £10,000. The prize money really increases when you reach the play-offs. Will Van Gerwen win the Premier League for an eighth time? Then 275 thousand pounds (almost 325 thousand euros) will be waiting for him.