Darts
Premier League Darts Champions: Players with the Most Titles
The Premier League is one of the biggest darting tournaments on the calendar (after the[ PDC World Darts Championships](C:\Users\Dell\Desktop\VU documents\Championships https:\www.sportsboom.com\darts\world-darts-championship)), taking place from February through May every year. Over 17 weeks, the theoretical eight best players in the world battle it out in a league format in front of the biggest crowds around the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands.
Michael Van Gerwen/Getty Images
The format has changed multiple times since its inception in 2005, but the gruelling yet captivating league stage format brings exciting action regardless of the location. The Premier League requires incredible endurance, stamina, and consistency over a long period against the world’s elite to compete for the title in play-offs in the final week.
SportsBoom has researched all the players who have won the title, covering in detail each player who has won one of the most prestigious tournaments on the darting calendar.
The Marathon & Sprint: Winning the Premier League
Winning the Premier League not only further solidifies greatness, but having the Premier League titles in your list of accolades is a testament to one’s ability to produce high-quality darts consistently.
Taking place every Thursday evening, participants are constantly travelling from city to city and must produce their best game every time they step up onto the oche. Players are under intense pressure throughout the competition, and even more so on finals night should they finish inside the top four.
Masters of the Premier League: Most Titles Won:
Consistency over the long season combined with knockout brilliance on finals night is key. Here are the players who have lifted the Premier League Darts trophy most often.
| Rank | Player | Won | Runners-up | Finals | Appearances |
| Michael van Gerwen | 7 | 2 | 9 | 11 | |
| Phil Taylor | 6 | 2 | 8 | 13 | |
| Gary Anderson | 2 | 0 | 2 | 11 | |
| James Wade | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | |
| T5 | Raymond van Barneveld | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14 |
| T5 | Glen Durrant | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| T5 | Jonny Clayton | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| T5 | Luke Littler | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Spotlight on the Champions
Michael van Gerwen (The Record Holder)
Michael van Gerwen made history in 2023 to win a record-breaking seventh crown after defeating Gerwyn Price in the final. The Dutchman has a truly incredible record in this tournament, winning seven times and finishing runners-up on two further occasions.
Van Gerwen has made nine finals in 11 appearances, which is what makes him stand out above the rest. It’s evident that he loves the format and the nature of this 17-week exhibition, but what makes his statistics even more impressive is that he knows how to win under immense pressure week after week.
Phil Taylor (The Original King)
Phil Taylor was the original king in this tournament before Van Gerwen’s arrival. Taylor produced six wins in total, highlighting his impressive dominance since the tournament commenced in 2005.
The sport’s most decorated player dominated the early years and didn’t lose a game in the tournament until 2008, when James Wade won on his debut and stopped a three-year-long streak.
Gary Anderson (The Double Winner)
Gary Anderson joins Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor as the only three players to win this tournament multiple times, winning twice in 2011 and 2015, respectively. He is known for his immense scoring power and always steps up to the challenge at the right time.
Anderson will likely never play in the format again even if he were invited for future editions, but the Scotsman will be remembered for his strong showings in this exhibition.
The One-Time Winners
James Wade, Raymond van Barneveld, Glen Durrant, Jonny Clayton and Luke Littler are the remaining players who’ve won the Premier League. These five players have all made impressive contributions to the game, but Wade and Van Barneveld are the standout achievers in the sport.
Both players have displayed impressive longevity for such a long period that a Premier League title bolsters their own darting portfolio. In contrast, Durrant and Clayton won on their debuts, and both have featured only twice in total.
Lastly, the phenomenon that is Littler racked up his first TV major title last year on debut, too, but the 18-year-old has the potential to better Van Gerwen’s record in the years to come.
Key Observations:
SportsBoom observes that Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor have dominated for the vast majority of the tournament’s history, winning 13 titles over two decades. This impressive dominance is what puts them right up there as the two greatest to ever play the game.
As well as this, Raymond Van Barneveld’s success finally arrived after multiple attempts before he prevailed in the end. His win further cemented his mightily impressive legacy. But in polar opposite fashion, Glen Durrant, Jonny Clayton, and Luke Littler all won on their debut.
Statistically speaking, Gary Anderson has the best winning record percentage in finals, winning the two he entered. This record means he’s the strongest out of all the winners, whereas Wade’s one win in three is the least favourable. However, it could be said that’s due to him walking into Taylor at his best in the final.
Conclusion
In conclusion, SportsBoom acknowledge that the Premier League of Darts requires high-quality consistency. The roll of honour consists of players who are multiple major ranking winners or those who’ve won world championships in both codes.
We’ve highlighted the greatness of Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor, but let’s not gloss over the fact that all past winners regularly show their serious bottle to produce spellbinding darts to the mass audiences in attendance week after week.
A player’s past performance in the Premier League Darts, particularly their record in reaching and winning finals, is a significant factor bettors analyze when assessing outright winner odds and match betting during the Play-Offs.
Henry Cheal is a versatile freelance sports journalist with extensive experience in the industry. Henry has previously worked at the 2024 World Snooker Championship and earned a Multimedia Sports Journalism degree from UCFB in 2023.