Cazoo Premier League Darts: Home hero Peter Wright headlines star-studded Glasgow line-up

The Cazoo Premier League Darts roadshow roles into Glasgow on Thursday with six of the current top 10 players in the PDC Order of Merit set to take to the stage at the OVO Hydro.

Home favourite Gary Anderson nicknamed “The Flying Scotsman” is absent from this year’s eight-man field, ensuring that the colourful Peter Wright (aka “Snakebite”) is left to fly the flag for Scotland on this occasion.

Another electric atmosphere is anticipated with the likes of reigning and six-time Premier League champion Michael van Gerwen, current World champion Michael Smith and last week’s winner Gerwyn Price ready to entertain the sell-out crowd.

This year’s tournament will see eight of the sport’s top stars contesting mini-events throughout the season. A prize fund of £1,000,000 is up for grabs, with the overall winner after Night 17 expected to pocket £275,000.

Here, we preview the action ahead of one of the biggest nights in the Scottish sporting calendar.

How does the Premier League format work?

Each night will see quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final played over the best of 11 legs (first to six). Players will face each other twice in quarter-final ties throughout the season, with the fixtures being balanced for players to be in opposite halves of the draw in an equal number of weeks following a review of the 2022 schedule.

The fixtures for Night 8 and Night 16 will be based on the league table following Night 7 and Night 15 respectively.

The top four players from the final league table will progress to the Play-Offs, which will feature the semi-finals over the best of 19 legs and the final over the best of 21 legs. The order of throw for all league night matches will be decided by a bull-off, which will be conducted beforehand in the practice room. For the Play-Offs, the semi-finals will see the higher-placed player from the final league table throw first, with a bull-off for the final.

League points are awarded on a night-by-night basis, with the winner securing 5 points plus a £10,000 bonus. The runner-up received 3 points, while the semi-finalists earn 2 points.

Which players are competing tonight?

MICHAEL SMITH (England) - 2023 World Champion

PETER WRIGHT (Scotland) - Two-time World Champion

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN (Netherlands) - Reigning & six-time Premier League champion

GERWYN PRICE (Wales) - 2021 World Champion

JONNY CLAYTON (Wales) - 2021 Premier League champion

NATHAN ASPINALL (England) - 2019 UK Open champion

DIMITRI VAN DEN BERGH (Belgium) - 2020 World Matchplay champion

CHRIS DOBEY (England) - 2023 Masters champion

How does the league table currently look?

Night One was held at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Thursday, February 2 where Englishman Chris Dobey edged out Michael van Gerwen 6-5 in a thrilling final, before Cardiff’s International Arena hosted Night Two of the tour on Thursday, February 9. The Welsh crowd were treated to a memorable victory for local hero Gerwyn Price took down Nathan Aspinall 6-3.

Ties for Points split by - Nights Won; Matches Won; Leg Difference; Legs Won; Legs Won Against Throw; Tournament Average.

What is the match scheduled on Night Three?

Thursday February 16 - (Quarter-Finals)

Nathan Aspinall vs Michael van Gerwen

Peter Wright vs Dimitri Van den Bergh

Gerwyn Price vs Michael Smith

Jonny Clayton vs Chris Dobey

Who will emerge victorious?

Sky Sports analyst and former BDO World Champion Mark Webster reckons Peter Wright can finally ignite his campaign when he makes his homecoming on Thursday after a winless start.

He said: “Wright has been a bit unlucky but he’s a good reader of the game and it’s early days, so I think he’ll be fairly relaxed about the whole situation and he’ll be expected to register some points in Glasgow. He’ll get the crowd support but we know Gary Anderson is their boy so it won’t be the same level of support but they’ll get behind him.

“For Peter, it’s week three so don’t panic. He started brilliantly last year but then it unravelled so he knows the flipside. A good start guarantees nothing and a bad start guarantees nothing either, so he’ll be fairly relaxed. I don’t think the players panic yet - a couple more weeks possible. He’ll be looking forward to going up there and the fact that it’s in Glasgow is a bonus for him.”