Chris Dobey’s rise into the darting big-time will continue with his inclusion in the 2023 Cazoo Premier League, while Nathan Aspinall and Dimitri Van den Bergh will return to the eight-player field for the forthcoming season.

Having lifted his first televised title at the Cazoo Masters on Sunday night, Team Unicorn star Dobey will take his place in this year’s star-studded field for the Cazoo Premier League, which begins on Thursday in Belfast.

Dobey previously featured in the Premier League as a Challenger in 2019 and 2020, but will now compete full-time in the event over the next four months.

Dobey’s Team Unicorn stablemate – World Champion and world number one Michael Smith will headline this year’s roadshow following his history-making success at Alexandra Palace, with 2021 World Champion Gerwyn Price also set to star.

Reigning champion Michael van Gerwen will be chasing a record-breaking seventh Premier League crown in 2023, with 2017 runner-up Peter Wright set to make his tenth consecutive Premier League appearance.

2021 champion Jonny Clayton will be aiming to regain the trophy, while Aspinall and Van den Bergh will make returns following absences in 2022.

Aspinall – the runner-up on debut in 2020 – will make his third Premier League appearance after featuring in TV finals at the World Grand Prix and Grand Slam of Darts over recent months.

Van den Bergh also returns to the fold following a terrific 2022 campaign, which saw him win two World Series of Darts titles and reach World Matchplay and World Championship semi-finals.

The 2023 Cazoo Premier League will see eight of the sport’s top stars contesting 16 mini-events during the season, with each league night comprising quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final over the best of 11 legs.

Points will be awarded each night to form the league table, from which the top four players will progress to the Play-Offs, which will be held at The O2 in London on Thursday May 25.

The campaign begins at Belfast’s SSE Arena on Thursday February 3, as the sport’s biggest party gets underway with the first of 17 nights of action.

Story courtesy of PDC