World's best darts players battle at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena tonight as 16-week league gets underway - £1m+ prizemoney at stake
This year’s line-up includes Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Gian van Veen, Michael van Gerwen, Jonny Clayton, Stephen Bunting, Josh Rock and Gerwyn Price.
Newcastle will tonight welcome the return of the BetMGM Premier League Darts - with the tournament’s sponsor planting a giant golden dart in front of the Tyne Bridge ahead of the event.
Marking the competition’s return to the city for Thursday’s opening night of action, all eight players, including last year’s winner Luke Humphries carrying the trophy, were quayside to pose with the three-metre tall structure.
The players will go head-to-head at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on Thursday night and compete for a total prize pot of £1,250,000 over the 16-week multi-city league event.
The tournament brings together a select group of the world’s top players who face each other over multiple weeks, giving fans the chance to see the sport’s biggest personalities and rivalries under one roof on a regular basis.
As an extra incentive for the eight Premier League competitors, for the second year running, BetMGM will reward any player who hits a nine-darter with a set of 18ct gold darts worth £30,000. Remarkably this was achieved five times in 2025, causing the title sponsor to shell out £150,000 worth of darts to the competitors.
Humphries said: “Newcastle is a really fun place to come for the darts and we’re all excited to get the 2026 BetMGM Premier League Darts campaign underway. “Seeing BetMGM’s giant dart on the Tyne today with the iconic bridge behind us has set the scene perfectly and I can’t wait to defend the title I won last year, particularly with BetMGM’s 18ct gold darts up for grabs again!”
BetMGM's Brand Director, Dan Towse, said: “The opening night of the BetMGM Premier League Darts is unique, and we wanted to help build the anticipation this year with an eye-catching display at one of Newcastle’s most iconic locations.”
PDC Head of Commercial, Adam Perfect, said: “The Premier League has a long and special relationship with Newcastle, and launching this year’s event with BetMGM’s giant dart on the banks of the River Tyne is a fantastic way to celebrate that. Our players love coming here, the atmosphere at the Utilita Arena is always electric, and this visual moment on the river really underlines how big the BetMGM Premier League Darts has become.”
The Premier League Darts is an annual, invitation-only tournament organised by the PDC that tours major city arenas across the UK and Europe from February to May.