Bunting beats Humphries in Sheffield to secure second Premier League win

Stephen Bunting ended the league stage in style, beating Luke Humphries 6-3 in Sheffield to claim his second nightly win of the 2026 BetMGM Premier League and lock down fifth place in the table. The final was played at a sharp pace, with Bunting averaging more than 106 and landing seven 180s, a level of scoring that underlined how much he has grown into the campaign after opening with a breakthrough night in Belfast.

The result carried weight beyond one trophy. Humphries had already done enough in Sheffield to secure third place, and that shape-shifting detail matters heading into The O2 Arena in London next Thursday. By beating Luke Littler 6-1 in the semi-finals, Humphries ensured he will face Jonny Clayton in the Finals Night semi-final, rather than Littler. That is the kind of bracket break that can alter a player’s mentality as much as his route to the title, especially with Littler going the other way to meet Gerwyn Price.

Bunting’s path through Sheffield was hard-earned. He opened with a 6-3 quarter-final win over Clayton, while Price beat Gian van Veen 6-2, Littler edged Josh Rock 6-5 and Humphries survived a 6-5 battle with Michael van Gerwen. Once Bunting reached the final, he kept the pressure on Humphries from the start and never let the contest drift far enough for the world champion to recover. For Bunting, the night confirmed that his Belfast triumph was no one-off, but part of a strong run that has pushed him into the upper half of the standings.

Humphries, meanwhile, left Sheffield with his own momentum intact despite the final defeat. It was his fourth consecutive nightly final, and his recent surge, which included victory in Birmingham on Night Fifteen, has carried him into Finals Night with real authority. The defending champion now enters the decisive night with a clearer draw and a more favourable psychological map, knowing Littler will not stand in his way until a possible final.

The 2026 Premier League now heads to London with the field set: Luke Littler, Humphries, Clayton and Price. Bunting’s night did not change the Finals Night lineup, but it sharpened the competitive edge around it. He signed off the league phase with a statement win, Humphries secured the bracket he wanted, and the final Thursday at The O2 is now loaded with consequence before a dart has been thrown.