Chris Dobey Delivers Dazzling Hat-Trick to Seal First Premier League Victory of 2025 in Rotterdam
Chris Dobey delivered a trio of outstanding performances to secure his first nightly win of this year’s BetMGM Premier League on Thursday in Rotterdam.
Dobey overcame Luke Humphries, Nathan Aspinall, and Stephen Bunting to claim the Night 11 crown at Rotterdam Ahoy, capping the evening with a dominant 6-2 victory over Bunting in the final.
The Bedlington ace posted three consecutive ton-plus averages across the night and earned five vital league points, bringing him within just three points of the Play-Off spots.
“It feels fantastic to be back in the winner’s circle, ” said Dobey, who had previously reached the Night One final in Belfast.
“I always believed I could do it. It’s all about delivering when it matters, and tonight I managed three top performances to get myself back in contention.
“I’m a fighter. I’ve worked hard to return to this level, and I’m here to win.
“I truly believe I can still make the top four. I’ve shown what I’m capable of tonight, and if I keep playing like this, I’ve got a real shot.”
Dobey began his night with an impressive 6-3 win over world number one Luke Humphries, averaging 100 and firing in six 180s to lay down an early marker.
The former Masters champion maintained his high standard in the semi-finals, averaging over 100 once again in a comprehensive 6-2 win over Nathan Aspinall.
Facing Bunting in the final—both players sat in the bottom two of the table at the start of the night—Dobey delivered another commanding display.
Although Bunting struck first with a 13-darter, Dobey surged ahead with a four-leg burst and sealed victory with a 101.84 average and an impressive 67% checkout rate.
He becomes the sixth different player to win a night in this year’s Premier League campaign and moves above Rob Cross into sixth place in the table.
Bunting, meanwhile, continued his recent resurgence with a strong showing in the Netherlands. He edged past Michael van Gerwen and Luke Littler in back-to-back last-leg deciders to reach his second final in three weeks.
The 40-year-old ousted home favorite Van Gerwen in a tense quarter-final clash, then averaged 106.43 to fend off a late surge from Littler in the semis.
Earlier, Littler had battled Rob Cross in a thrilling opening match, sealing victory with a brilliant 145 checkout in the decider—despite Cross averaging a superb 110.
Elsewhere, Aspinall climbed to third in the standings with a 6-3 win over Gerwyn Price in the quarter-finals, though his hopes of consecutive nightly wins were dashed by Dobey’s inspired performance.
2025 BetMGM Premier League
Night 11 - Thursday April 17
Rotterdam Ahoy
Quarter-Finals
Chris Dobey 6-3 Luke Humphries
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Gerwyn Price
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
Luke Littler 6-5 Rob Cross
Semi-Finals
Chris Dobey 6-2 Nathan Aspinall
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Luke Littler
Final
Chris Dobey 6-2 Stephen Bunting