Every player to win the PDC World Darts Championship and the Premier League in the same year
After yet another spectacular year at Ally Pally, the 2025/26 PDC World Darts Championship is now consigned to the history books. However, attention already turned to the Premier League, with eight of darts' biggest and brightest competing against each other on a weekly basis, all with the aim of claiming the title at the end of May.
But which players throughout history have managed to claim the two storied crowns in the same calendar year? Let's take a look.
Michael van Gerwen
Michael van Gerwen is one of the all-time greats, and if the 2026 World Darts odds are anything to go by, the Dutch ace is not finished yet. Mighty Mike has been made a 22/1 shot to claim his fourth title next January. First and foremost, though, it's the Premier League, a tournament in which the veteran has shone more than anyone over the years.
MVG is the record seven-time Premier League champion, and the latest online darts betting odds price him as a 14/1 shot to extend that record in 2026. Not only is Van Gerwen the record champion, but he is also a man who has won both the worlds and the Premier League in the same year... twice.
The Dutchman turned the oche into his personal playground in both 2017 and 2019. In the former of those two years, he claimed his second world title with a 7-3 win over Gary Anderson, winning a thriller that had 42 maxes combined—darts warfare. That year's Premier League? Edged Peter Wright 11-10 at The O2 after Snakebite bottled six match darts. Comeback king stuff, post a semi-final rout of Anderson.
Two years on, 2019: another world title, 7-3 over Michael Smith, then topped the Premier League and smoked Rob Cross 11-5 in the final. Fifth PL trophy. Van Gerwen’s power game—relentless 180s, ice-cold finishing—makes you wonder how the freight train slowed down in the seven years since.
Gary Anderson
Gary Anderson pulled off the vaunted double back in 2015—and what a story it was. The Flying Scotsman snuck past the GOAT Phil Taylor 7-6 to claim his maiden World Championship at Ally Pally. The Premier League at The O2? Downed another all-time great in the form of Van Gerwen, winning 11-7 despite MvG’s 105 average, a feat made all the more impressive after dodging Dave Chisnall’s match darts in the semis.
In 2016, Anderson continued his dominance, claiming his second straight world title with a 7-5 victory against Adrian Lewis. But his herculean run would come to an end in that year's Premier League, losing out to Phil Taylor in the semi-finals. He hasn't won either tournament since.
Phil Taylor
Phil Taylor is the greatest player to ever pick up a set of darts. His 16 world titles will likely never be beaten, with Littler the latest to be tasked with catching the Power's almighty haul.
The Stoke-born icon bulldozed his way to world x PL doubles in 2005, 2006, and again in 2010. First up, 2005: hammered Colin Lloyd 16-4 in the Premier League final, 101 average, while snagging his 13th world title. Pure clinic. A year later, he thumped Peter Manley 7-0 in the world final before claiming back-to-back league crowns by thrashing Roland Scholten 16-6 in Plymouth.
The emergence of the likes of Raymond van Barneveld and James Wade meant that the Power had to wait for his third double, but that duly came in 2010. Taylor, still a beast at 50 years of age, nailed two nine-darters in a 10-8 Premier League final win against the aforementioned Wade. Those heroics came a mere months after dismantling Simon Whitlock for world gold. Hat-trick of doubles? The man’s a cheat code.
