LUKE HUMPHRIES was left exasperated after his gamble did not pay off against Luke Littler.
The world No1 led in their Premier League clash on Night 6.
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But Littler produced a comeback and broke Humphries’ throw twice, with one coming in the crucial eighth leg.
If Humphries won the leg he would have been one away from victory but he took a risk and Littler made the most of it.
Humphries was leading on 265 and hit treble 20 and single 20 before taking a gamble by going for the treble again.
He missed and scored 100 which left him on 165 – a bogey number he could not check out.
Littler then came to the board and left himself 164, Humphries threw again to leave 107 but Littler punished him by checking out to win the league.
After Littler set up 164 the commentator said: “Humphries took a gamble there.
“He went searching for another treble 20, the single leaves a bogey number. He cannot finish 165.”
Littler’s win means he overtakes Humphries at the top of the Premier League table.
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In the battle of the two Lukes, it was the reigning world darts champion who prevailed 6-4 in the opening quarter-final at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena.
The world No.1 had one opportunity to take a 4-2 lead in the race to six legs but that miss at double 10 proved costly.
Playing in second gear for most of this contest, Littler – who is now sporting a bushy beard on the oche – drew level at 3-3 with a 110 finish.
It was then he hit majestic 164 on the Bull to earn parity at 4-4.
The Warrington teen won the next two legs on stage to inflict a second successive quarter-final loss on the Berkshire thrower, who went out early in Brighton.
A crowd of 7,500 were on their feet, singing Littler’s signature walk-on tune, and Humphries had to pack up his belongings and get in the car home for Cheshire.
Littler, 18, moved into the semi-finals for the third successive week and the defending Prem champion replaced Humphries at the summit of the eight-man tournament.
A week ago, Humphries and Rob Cross earned themselves a set of £30,000 gold darts with brilliant nine-darters.
BetMGM have yet to commission the 18ct golden darts as a reward but have vowed to get them ready at some point during the event, which finishes in London on May 29.
