2021 Premier League Darts
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![]() FormatThe tournament format reverted to that used in 2018, with a permanent list of ten players, instead of nine players and a guest "challenger" each week, as had been used in 2019 & 2020.Phase 1: In each round, the ten players play each other in five matches. Phase 1 matches have a maximum of twelve legs, allowing for the winner being first to seven or a six-six draw. At the end of Phase 1, the bottom two players are eliminated from the competition. Phase 2: In each round, the remaining eight players play each other in four matches. Phase 2 matches have a maximum of fourteen legs, allowing for the winner being first to eight or a seven-seven draw. At the end of Phase 2, the bottom four players in the league table are eliminated from the competition. Play-off Night: The top four players in the league table contest the two knockout semi-finals with 1st playing 4th and 2nd playing 3rd. The semi-finals are first to 10 legs. The two winning semi-finalists meet in the final which is first to 11 legs. VenuesThe announced calendar included The Brighton Centre being restored to the calendar, having last hosted the Premier League in 2017. The initial calendar also restored rounds in Birmingham, Belfast, Leeds, Berlin, Rotterdam, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and London; all of which had been scheduled for 2020 but cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic; with Berlin replacing London as the scheduled host of the final. Milton Keynes and Coventry, which hosted rounds in 2020 following the pandemic, were not intended to be on the 2021 calendar. Due to the continuation of the pandemic, the PDC confirmed that the first nine rounds would be held over two weeks at the Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes. On 22 March 2021, it was confirmed that all the remaining dates, including the playoffs, would also be played in Milton Keynes.The first five nights took place from Monday 5 April to Friday 9 April, with the next four nights, including Judgement Night, taking place from Monday 19 April to Thursday 22 April. The second half will again be in two parts with the first part taking place between Wednesday 5 May to Friday 7 May, and the second part to take place from Monday 24 May to Thursday 27 May, with the playoffs taking place on Friday 28 May. Prize moneyThe prize money for the 2021 tournament was increased from £825,000 to £855,000, due to the additional player compared to 2020.PlayersNine of the ten players in this year's tournament were announced following the 2021 PDC World Darts Championship on 3 January. The top four on the PDC Order of Merit are joined by six wildcards. The tenth was announced following the 2021 Masters, with the final of that event serving effectively as a play-off between Mervyn King and Jonny Clayton, with the winner qualifying.Gerwyn Price, the world number one and reigning world champion, tested positive for COVID-19 before the start of the tournament and had to withdraw. James Wade, the highest-ranked player not in the tournament, was brought in as a replacement.
League stage21 April – Night 8 (Phase 1)Play-offs – 28 May'''Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes'''Table and streaksTableAfter the first nine rounds in phase 1, the bottom two players in the table are eliminated. In phase 2, the eight remaining players play in a single match on each of the seven nights. The top four players then compete in the knockout semi-finals and final on the playoff night.Two points are awarded for a win and one point for a draw. When players are tied on points, leg difference is used first as a tie-breaker, after that legs won against throw and then tournament average. Streaks
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