Luke Littler is the biggest name in darts right now (Image: Getty)
is popular throughout the UK – even more so after making history as the youngest winner of all time. A year after losing in the final to Luke Humphries, he h at 17.
The Warrington-born teenager will finally be old enough to buy alcohol, vapes, scratch cards and 18-rated films a week on Tuesday (January 21). And there is no doubt plenty more success awaits the Nuke in his darts career.
It is perhaps easy to forget, now he’s so established on the PDC Tour, that he only first became a household name in December 2023. Beating Christian Kist with a 106 average in his first match, he then – at 16 years of age – knocked out Andrew Gilding.
Matt Campbell was his next victim before Littler, averaging 105, dumped out his childhood idol Raymond van Barneveld. That set up a quarter-final against Brendan Dolan, who he hammered 5-1 to make the final four.
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After beating Rob Cross, Littler lost 7-4 to Humphries in the final. And Dolan spoke out after the tournament to reveal exactly what everyone on the oche thought of Littler behind the scenes.
The Englishman, second on the PDC order of merit with £1.1million in prize money, surged in popularity and quickly became the most-followed darts player in the world on . And Dolan said his conqueror was equally as well-liked by his rivals.
Dolan explained last year: “Everyone seemed to like him backstage. It’s great to see youth coming through, and it’s brilliant to see someone fulfil their potential in that way, although obviously not against yourself.
“It’s great. It brings more youngsters into the game and a lot of media attention, and in the long run, it’s all just very beneficial for the sport.
“I would say people were surprised by his composure on such a big stage at a massive event. He handled himself very well, so he did.
Brendan Dolan says Luke Littler’s rivals thought highly of him when he first broke through (Image: Getty)
“It is a tough sport, and he will go through great times and bad times, and he just has to keep working, keep his composure the way he has done, and I think he’ll have a long and successful career.”
He handled himself even better at the most recent World Championship, going all the way to the Sid Waddell trophy and the £500,000 grand prize at Ally Pally.
After downing three-time world champion Van Gerwen, Littler said: “As soon as the winning double went in, I couldn’t believe it.
“I was fine, but then when I looked up, looked into the crowd and everyone was up on their feet, that’s when the tears came. And I looked over to my family who were in tears as well and it was then that I knew it was mine.
“Everyone wants to lift this one. I think I’m the 12th or 13th person to do it. And obviously I’m the youngest. But from watching many, many finals over the years to now add my name to the list it means a lot.
“I’ll just try and win as many titles as I can this year. I won 10 last year, I’ve started the year off with one, but maybe try to add on to the 10 – maybe win 11 or 12 or even more.”