Jonny Clayton capped a superb debut year in the Premier League by winning a shoot-out with Dimitri Van den Bergh to complete Friday's semi-final line-up and set up a showdown with table-topping Michael van Gerwen.
In the final match of the league phase that started behind closed doors and ended in front of almost 1,000 raucous fans, Clayton and Van den Bergh duked it out to conclude the night.
Van den Bergh has spent most of the competition in the top four and topped the table for almost all of the opening phase, but five defeats from his last seven games saw him slip out of the Play-Off places and it was Clayton who cashed in with an 8-6 victory in the winner-takes-all contest.
Earlier, Van Gerwen sealed top spot after Jose De Sousa's brilliant win over Nathan Aspinall ensured the Dutchman could not be overtaken.
MVG's win over Wright gave him a sixth win in seven matches heading into the finale and equalled Phil Taylor's record of topping the table eight times.
It all means Van Gerwen's quest for a sixth Premier League crown will see him meet Clayton in the opening semi-final, while De Sousa and Aspinall will meet for a second night in succession - only this time a final spot will be on the line for all involved.
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Ferret stays cool to pinch final play-off place
With the final play-off place on the line between two of this year's debutants, it was Jonny Clayton who prevailed to keep title dreams alive after an 8-6 win over Dimitri Van den Bergh.
Clayton had the advantage of knowing a draw would take him through thanks to his leg difference and with everything to play for, the pair served up a cracker - each averaging more than 100 and hitting in excess of 55 per cent of their darts at double.
Van den Bergh started with a maximum and a 13-dart hold of throw, but a fired-up Ferret responded in style reeling off three legs in succession to seize control.
A brilliant 121 finish got him going and he followed up with 14 and 15-dart legs to leave Van den Bergh on the back foot. The pair shared the next four legs, leaving Clayton just two away from his target.
After piling in a second 121 of the contest to lead 5-3, Clayton looked on as his Belgian opponent drew within one and then missed a dart for a level match. The Ferret took full advantage to stand just one leg away from securing the point he needed.
Van den Bergh took out 68 to stay alive and his hopes peaked when a nervous Clayton missed three darts for a seventh leg, but with last dart in hand, the Ferret pinned double five to clinch the final spot in the play-offs and then secure the victory.
On-song Van Gerwen motors to top spot
Michael van Gerwen took to the stage knowing he was already assured of topping the table for a record-equalling eighth time and, while a sixth title is his ultimate target, he beat Peter Wright 8-6 to maintain his fine form.
A high-quality contest between the pair - who met in the 2017 final at The O2 where Wright missed six darts for the title - ebbed and flowed throughout, the pair trading 109 and 113 finishes much to the crowd's delight.
Van Gerwen broke in the fifth leg but missed four darts to open up a two-leg lead and, despite missing two of his own for the leg, 'Snakebite' took his second bite of the cherry.
'MvG' took out a third successive break of throw in style, pinning 126 to regain the advantage, but once again Wright hit back to leave the match all square after eight legs
Three more breaks of throw followed to leave Van Gerwen within two of the finishing line, and the Dutchman conjured up his third three-figure finish of the contest to secure a point. Wright claimed the next leg, but it was Van Gerwen who wrapped up the victory.
MvG - who missed out on the top four for the first time last year - was beaten by Nathan Aspinall on Monday and admitted nerves played a part as the crowd returned for the first time in more than a year. But since then he has gone from strength-to-strength beating Gary Anderson, Jose De Sousa and now Wright.
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Jose De Sousa served up a crowd-pleasing display, that left Wayne Mardle speechless, and gave him an 8-3 victory over Nathan Aspinall that ensures the pair will meet again in Friday's second semi-final.
'The Asp' was beaten by Glen Durrant in last year's final, but still had hopes of a top-of-the-table finish if he could beat the 'The Special One' to pile the pressure on Van Gerwen.
However, it was De Sousa who stole the show, finishing the league phase of his debut Premier League campaign in style and in second place thanks to an average of 103, a new competition record for 180s and a spectacular 120 finish.
The maverick Portuguese thrower sent the crowd into raptures with a spectacular exhibition-style check-out in the opening leg thanks to three double-tops - the crowd roared an approving rendition of 'he scores what he wants'.
Undaunted by his opponent, Aspinall hit a more traditional but still spectacular 152 finish to level up, but De Sousa was not to be denied, firing in his second 180 of the match and 80th of the competition - he went on to hit one more to finish the league phase with 81, two better than Gary Anderson's mark.
After five consecutive breaks of throw to start the match, De Sousa was first to hold for a 4-2 lead and while Aspinall responded with a hold of his own it did not stop De Sousa.
He won the last four legs, finishing with a brilliant 149 to pinch second spot from Aspinall and leave last year's runner-up with plenty to think about before Friday's semi-final clash.
Wade finishes on a high with Anderson victory
James Wade and Gary Anderson will have entered the tournament with higher aspirations than the second-phase wooden spoon, and thanks to an 8-6 victory it was Wade who avoided that fate.
The pair, with three Premier League titles and five finals between them, kicked off the evening's entertainment and served up a fast-paced treat which delivered 10 180s as they both averaged almost 100 for the contest.
After the first six legs had been shared, with an 11-dart leg from Wade the highlight, it was 'The Machine' who claimed the decisive advantage when he broke in the seventh leg of the match.
Wade consolidated with a brilliant 102 check-out to seize his two-leg lead which he maintained thanks to a barrage of maximum 180s that kept Anderson at bay.
He had his victory when he took out 94 to lift himself into sixth and leave Anderson - who missed the play-offs for the first time since 2013 - bottom of the pile.
Join us on Sky Sports Action and Main Event from 7pm on Friday night for both semi-finals and the final as the PDC crown a new Premier League champion