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It’s showtime! We are proud to partner with the PDC and provide title sponsorship for the 2024 BetMGM Premier League.
Eight of the world’s best players – including world champion Luke Humphries, teenage up-and-comer Luke Littler and three-time world titlist Michael van Gerwen – will convene across Europe over 17 nights to fight for the title of BetMGM Premier League Darts champion.
All eyes are on Cardiff as this year’s tournament gets underway at the Utilita Arena, with a repeat of the last two World Darts Championship finals on offer. The excitement at the oche continues in venues across the UK and Ireland with stops in Berlin and Rotterdam too.
‘Bully Boy’ Michael Smith is one of the high-profile competitors in the BetMGM Premier League, returning to the competition for a seventh time. The 2023 PDC world champion will look to bounce back after falling short in the 2024 instalment of the event and get his hands on a first-ever BetMGM Premier League Darts title.
Michael Smith History
Michael Smith has made a steady rise since arriving on the senior darts scene. He broke into the top 32 in 2012 and earned an appearance at the 2013 World Darts Championship as a result. Unfortunately he ran into an in-form Raymond van Barneveld, who would eventually reach the semi-finals that year, and was ultimately eliminated in a 3-0 whitewash in round one.
Smith’s ascension continued in the following years and he cracked the top eight in the world rankings by the time 2015 was out due in no small part to an impressive performance in the Grand Slam of Darts. The man from St Helens defeated prolific performer Dave Chisnall and two-time world champion Adrian Lewis before falling to then world number one Michael van Gerwen in the final four.
Van Gerwen also proved to be Smith’s Achilles heel in the 2019 World Darts Championship. After battling his way to his first-ever world championship final with victories over Luke Humphries and Chisnall, Bully Boy succumbed to the Dutchman once again in a 7-3 defeat.
However, all the previous heartache would be forgotten in 2023 when Smith reached his zenith and became world darts champion. “I can’t speak” was the infamous call from Wayne Mardle on commentary as Smith hit only the second nine-dart finish in a World Championship final and eventually bettered Van Gerwen 7-4 to be crowned world champion and attain the number one ranking.
In the year since Smith has dropped to third in the world rankings but still remains one of the favourites for the BetMGM Premier League Darts title.
Michael Smith Stats
Through his illustrious career, Michael Smith has smashed records, written his name into the history books of the PDC and much more. Here are a few of his personal highlights:
- In 2014, Smith was named the PDC Young Player of the Year after winning the European Darts Trophy, beating Michael van Gerwen in the final
- Smith set his highest televised average at the Grand Slam of Darts in 2019 with 113.62 in a 5-1 group-stage victory over Nathan Aspinall
- During his PDC World Championship victory in 2023, Smith became only the second player after Adrian Lewis to hit a nine-dart finish in a world final
Michael Smith Titles
Michael Smith has amassed a considerable list of titles in his career, including:
- PDC World Championship – 2023
- Grand Slam of Darts – 2022
- Bahrain Darts Masters – 2023
- US Darts Masters – 2022
- Shanghai Darts Masters – 2018
- World Youth Championship – 2013
Related Players
BetMGM Premier League Darts brings together the best the sport has to offer. Michael Smith will face off against some familiar faces across the tournament, including record seven-time winner Michael van Gerwen, reigning world champion Luke Humphries and seven-time major titlist Gerwyn Price.
Read more about the other 2024 BetMGM Premier League Darts participants below: