Luke Littler has gone 468 televised legs of darts without leaving a bogey number (Image: Getty)
Leave the 180s and relentless double-hitting to one side for a moment. Even forget his triumph, which made him the youngest player in history to win the tournament. Because there is one little-known statistic which proves ‘s greatness on the oche and sets him apart from the rest.
The 17-year-old’s incredible win at the Alexandra Palace last week provided yet more proof that he is the complete package.
Littler piled in the most maximums at the tournament and recorded the highest overall average. Meanwhile his accuracy on double 10 was off the charts. Even the world’s top players were unable to live with him.
But one aspect of Littler’s game which often flies under the radar is his counting. When working their way down from 501 and throwing three darts without breaking rhythm, even the most seasoned professionals are prone to the odd slip-up.
On paper, Littler should be especially at risk. He is considerably younger and less experienced than virtually all of his rivals, and his fluid throwing speed is quicker than most.
Despite that, he has played a staggering 468 consecutive televised legs without leaving a bogey number, according to . In other words, he has gone that long without leaving himself 169, 168, 166, 165, 163, 162 or 159 – numbers below the maximum checkout of 170 which cannot be taken out in three darts.
Michael van Gerwen left himself three bogey numbers in four legs against Brendan Dolan (Image: Getty)
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Not only is Littler perfectly aware of where he stands mathematically as each dart flies into the board, he has also managed to avoid hitting a stray single which could leave him on a bogey number by accident and render his counting irrelevant.
It is those subtleties which allow Littler to hold and break throw with such relentless efficiency. Michael van Gerwen found that out on Friday, when he went 4-0 down and eventually lost 7-3 against the teenage sensation on his seventh appearance in a world final.
One would think that a player of Van Gerwen’s calibre – a three-time world champion and former world No. 1 – would also be a counting dynamo who barely ever ends up on a bogey number.
But whereas Littler has gone 468 legs without doing so on TV, Van Gerwen left himself three bogey numbers in the space of four legs against Brendan Dolan.
‘Mighty Mike’, along with fellow top darts stars such as Luke Humphries and Rob Cross, will have a tough task dethroning a player with such incredible strengths on the oche.