Gary Anderson offered a fan to come and throw his darts for him after missing a match-winning shot at the European Darts Trophy on Saturday night. The Flying Scotsman was paired against Luke Woodhouse in his opening match at the event in Germany.
Anderson, who was knocked out in his first match of the World Championship and has endured a tough start to 2025 appeared to be struggling against Woodhouse in the early stages of their meeting. The Englishman raced to a three-leg lead, but Anderson, not one to give up easily, bounced back to take control of the match.
But it was in the ninth leg of the 10-leg epic, that Anderson fluffed the chance to secure the win when he sent two darts just above the double five bed. Naturally, the fans inside the arena sarcastically cheered the missed attempt – something Anderson was quick to react to.
Sensing the funny side, Anderson – showing no signs of feeling the tension – gestured to a member of the audience to come and have a go themselves. Even though he went on to lose the leg, Anderson kept his cool and returned to seal progression into round three by virtue of a 6-4 victory.
It’s a welcome return to winning ways for Anderson, who will return to action in Gottingen on Sunday afternoon. Anderson will be among the arrowsmiths licking their lips together hoping for a strong run this weekend, not least because Luke Littler isn’t in action.
Littler, who won the opening European Tour event of the year, opted out of competing in Germanty in order to manage his schedule. Explaining his decision after winning night seven of the Premier League on Thursday, the teen said: “I can’t see many players in the Premier League practicing at home,” Littler said after extending his overall lead to six points.
“I think everyone from the Prem is going to the Euro Tour this weekend, which I’ve pulled out of. I chose not to go and it’s just another chilled week off. I’ll have another week off and chill, and see how the darts fly in Newcastle.”
Littler sits top of the Premier League standings, having won three of the competition’s seven nights so far this year. Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price make up the remaining three play-off positions. The Premier League returns on Thursday night with the next round of action coming from Newcastle.