Darts prodigy Luke Littler plays against the world's best every week

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At the age of 17, Luke Littler is inspiring the darts scene and collecting one record after another

Photo: Ian Stephen / Pro Sports Images / IMAGO

Luke Littler sparked hype with his appearances at the 2024 Darts World Cup. In his first ever World Championship, “The Nuke,” as he is nicknamed, went straight to the final. The then 16-year-old narrowly lost to his compatriot and namesake Luke Humphries. For the teenager, it was still a dream debut - one that raised expectations, perhaps too high, some observers feared.

Not everyone in the darts scene followed the wave of euphoria. There was criticism of the Professional Darts Corporation's (PDC) plans to invite the young Englishman to so many PDC tournaments. However, the PDC did not deviate from its plan. In his first three months as a professional, Littler was on stage almost every week, sometimes even several times.

Littler goes at his own pace. Time for a first cautious interim assessment.

Little Luke was already playing darts when he was 18 months old. At the age of three, he imitated the cheers of his idol Raymond van Barneveld, as a video on Littler's X channel (formerly Twitter) shows.

The enthusiasm for darts continued. At six, Littler is said to have thrown his first 180, the maximum score that can be achieved with three darts. At the age of eight, he regularly followed his father to the pub and trained. Practice early.

It didn't take long until the first tournaments and successes. At the age of 14, Littler played in the Men's World Amateur Championship and made it to the round of 16. Even in his youth, Littler's games with a high average, i.e. the average number of points thrown per shot (three arrows per throw), caused a stir in the darts scene. Experts have considered him perhaps England's greatest talent for years.

Three titles in three months

Littler probably could have competed in the pros sooner. But only at the age of 16 can a player become a member of the Professional Dartplayer Association (PDPA). Membership is mandatory in order to take part in a PDC tournament. Last year Littler was old enough to play with the “big ones”. After the easy World Cup tournament, invitations for the World Series of Darts and also for the Premier League followed.

The PDC was particularly criticized for inviting them to the Premier League. There were fears that the 16-week Thursday exhibition of eight of the best players in the world could be too much for the teenager. Littler needs time to cope with the success and the media hype; a player of his age needs to be protected. But after three months as a pro, it doesn't look like Littler needs any special treatment.

Littler has already won three titles after the World Cup and is also in the top five in the Premier League. He is also the youngest player to ever win a World Series tournament, and during the tournament he even managed a nine-darter, which has always been considered the perfect game in darts.

Three nine-darters in the new year

For a nine-darter it takes exactly nine darts, i.e. three shots, to reduce the 501 points to zero points and thus win a leg. There are 18 different combinations to throw a nine-darter. In a route often chosen by professionals, you first need seven arrows on the triple 20. Incidentally, all triple and double fields measure exactly 8 millimeters in height. This is followed by a triple 19 and then the double 12. This completes the feat.

Luke Littler has already played three nine-darters in his first few months as a professional. The record for most perfect games in one year is four. It stands to reason that the 17-year-old will break this in the remainder of the year.

Littler's style of play and his self-confident demeanor are not well received by everyone. He likes to choose checkout methods that are unusual. The so-called checkout occurs when a player can manage to reduce the points to zero with the remaining three arrows (from 170 points at the earliest). The last arrow must always land in the outermost ring on a double field or in the middle on the bullseye. Most recently, the German Ricardo Pietreczko accused the young Englishman of an arrogant style of play. Littler is known for his willingness to throw a high checkout, even if his opponent doesn't have a chance to finish the leg on the next throw.

As a rule, the dart professionals then take the supposedly easier route and only get closer to zero points, so that in the end they still have, for example, 40 points left and can play a checkout over double 20 on their next throw. This leaves them with three attempts to hit double 20.

Littler, on the other hand, often prefers the spectacular route and runs the risk of having to hit a difficult double field if he doesn't score 170 points. If he misses, his opponent may still be able to win the leg. Despite all his talent, Littler consciously presents himself as a showman, and so far his performances have not suffered as a result.

Littler in the footsteps of Phil Taylor

Because it is impressive how confidently Littler throws his arrows into the target week after week at the highest level against the best players in the world. Three titles in less than two months at the age of 17 - hardly anyone expected that. His achievements are reminiscent of those of a darts legend. Can Littler even inherit Phil Taylor's legacy in the future

compete?

“The Power” dominated the darts scene for many years. Between 2005 and 2008, for example, Taylor won 44 games in a row in the Premier League. He was crowned the best darts player in the world 14 times. It is doubtful whether such dominance is even possible in this day and age, even for an exceptional talent like Littler.

It is Taylor's legacy that the sport has grown over the years and become more professional. The PDC organizes many tournaments, not just in England but throughout Europe, and pays out higher prize money than in Taylor's time. There is now also greater competition among players. One advantage is the low hurdles to becoming a darts professional. No expensive equipment is required, just three arrows and a dartboard. This is also why amateurs who have qualified accordingly compete in the tournaments alongside the professionals. This always causes surprises at tournaments.

Despite all his successes, Littler had to deal with this too. Every now and then the 17-year-old shows nerves. Just like at his first major tournament, the UK Open, when Littler was eliminated in the quarterfinals against the Australian Damon Heta. Or at one of the Players Championship game days when Littler failed in the second round. At the German Darts Grand Prix in Munich, where the darts elite will be guests on the Easter weekend (Saturday from 1 p.m. and Sunday from 2 p.m., live on DAZN), Littler will not be there due to his defeat in the qualifying tournament against the Welshman Jim Williams.

“Largest darts deal in history”

Littler is also one of the world's darts leaders from a financial perspective. In 2023 he is said to have earned at least 500,000 pounds (586,000 euros) along with the check for the World Cup final. So far this year it's 65,500 pounds (76,500 euros) from prize money alone. Only Dimitri Van den Bergh is doing even better financially with 112,500 pounds (131,500 euros).

As the "Sun" reported, Littler also signed a million-dollar contract with the British darts manufacturer Target Darts. The sponsorship deal should have a term of five to ten years. And is considered the “biggest darts deal in history”

.

But the deal is only new in financial terms. Littler has been supported by the company since she was twelve years old. Maybe the next child prodigy will soon be training with the arrows from “The Nuke”.