Premier League Darts 2025: Gerwyn Price Predicts the End of the ‘Working Man’s’ Route to Darts Glory

Luke Littler may have climbed to the top of the Premier League table, but night six in Nottingham belonged to former world champion Gerwyn Price.

The Nuke produced a night of commanding performances, avenging recent defeats to world number one Luke Humphries before dismantling an in-form Rob Cross with a blistering 107 three-dart average in the semi-final, which included three bull finishes. However, he wasn’t able to carry that momentum into the final.

Littler’s table-topping run didn’t translate into victory on the night, as Price overpowered the Warrington wonderkid with a 6-3 win in the final to claim his second nightly title of the season. The result cements his position in third place on the Premier League table, just behind Humphries and Littler.

Littler’s Bogey Player?

Price has now beaten the reigning world champion in their last six meetings and remains the only player in the Premier League with a winning record over the 18-year-old, now leading 7-4 in their head-to-head battles. 

It has been almost a year since Littler last triumphed over Price, with his most recent victory coming on Night 13 of last season’s Premier League in Liverpool.

Price is known for his aggressive, high-energy presence on stage, often roaring after big checkouts and clutch moments. 

Some believe this intensity unsettles Littler, while others argue that fellow professionals like Stephen Bunting and Nathan Aspinall have been too deferential towards the teenager. 

The Iceman, however, treats him no differently from any other opponent, which could explain his dominance in their head-to-head record.

When asked about this psychological edge and whether his onstage persona plays a role in unsettling Littler, Price remained diplomatic—though his smile hinted at something more.

"Ask him that. I'm not sure. Possibly, but I think it affects some people. But he's a strong kid. He's got a strong mind. But maybe you never know,” Price told SportsBoom.com. 

Littler Destined to Break Phil Taylor’s Record?

Despite his superiority over Littler in recent meetings, Price was full of praise for the young sensation and even made a bold prediction about his future. 

He believes Littler will eclipse Phil Taylor’s legendary record of 16 world championships and doesn’t see anyone on the current tour being able to stop him.

"I think he’ll beat Phil Taylor’s record, unless there’s someone comes from the JDC, no one in the PDC now will beat him. There are three or four players that can beat him but if not, he’ll win every tournament."

The Changing Face of Darts

Price also raised an intriguing point about the evolution of darts as a sport. He suggested that the era of players emerging from regular working-class backgrounds and making it big—like himself and 2018 world champion Rob Cross—may be coming to an end.

With the rise of Littler and the increasing prominence of youth systems like the Junior Darts Corporation (JDC) and the PDC Development Tour, Price believes the sport will soon be dominated exclusively by players groomed from a young age rather than those who discover it later in life.

"I think so, because you got the development, the JDC, all the young kids, they just come in. You will get the odd one or two maybe, but they're just going to be bred from such a young age now that I don't think anybody like myself, like the way I come into it, the way Rob [Cross] come into it. It's going to be youngsters from a young age."

This shift could mean the end of Cinderella stories like that of Cross, an electrician who burst onto the scene and won the world title on his debut, or even Price himself, who transitioned from rugby into darts. 

Today, there are still professionals juggling full-time jobs, such as Robert Owen, who competes on tour while working as a delivery driver for Iceland Foods. However, Price sees these examples becoming increasingly rare.

When asked if future first-time world champions will now exclusively come from the PDC’s youth development system, Price didn’t hesitate to agree.

"Players that are here now, I don't want to disrespect 'em, they can still win, and they can still do it, but in future generation, I think they're going to be kids that have played from a young age."

A Working Man’s Game No More 

Price’s comments add to the ongoing debate about the future of professional darts. As the sport continues to grow and professionalise, it is becoming less of a “working man’s game” and more of a structured career path for young players. 

With Littler leading the new generation, the landscape of darts is shifting—perhaps permanently.

For now, though, Price remains a major force to be reckoned with. His latest triumph in Nottingham sends a clear message: he isn’t ready to let the new generation take over just yet.