Luke Littler: Darts participant profile – age, world rating, nickname, prize cash and walk-on tune | Darts Information

Luke Littler is a family identify and fan favorite after his storming run to the ultimate of the 2024 World Darts Championship, aged simply 16.

{The teenager} is constant to thrill crowds throughout the nation within the Premier League Darts, the place he’s battling with Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and extra to succeed in ‘Finals Evening’.

Here is all you want to know concerning the new sporting star.

The place is Luke Littler from?

Littler spent his early years in Runcorn however now lives in close by Warrington – a city between Liverpool and Manchester.

How outdated is he?

Littler was born on January 21, 2007 – making him 17-years-old.

He captured consideration throughout the globe at simply 16 when he stormed to the closing of the 2024 World Darts Championship.

When did Littler begin taking part in darts?

Littler first picked up a set of darts when he was simply 18 months outdated.

He started coaching on the St Helens Darts Academy on the age of 9, beneath the watchful eye of co-founder Karl Holden.

“He was good when he was 9 years outdated,” Holden stated. “When he obtained to 10, once we ran the darts academy, we had a rule, to play on stage you needed to be over 15. We needed to change that for Luke due to his capability, he was simply unbelievable.

“He was taking part in U21s when he was 10 as a result of he was just too good. He is not simply began taking part in good on the World Championship, he is been taking part in darts for some time and obtained higher and higher yearly. He needs to win, likes to win and also you see him on stage, having fun with himself and simply loving it, being an amazing darts participant.

“We have had over a thousand children on the academy over time. Some play effectively for a couple of years then depart, some do not progress as a lot as they anticipated, however Luke’s simply shocked us.”

What’s his nickname?

Littler’s official nickname is ‘The Nuke’. The moniker is emblazoned on the again of his purple and yellow shirt.

Michael van Gerwen mischievously dubbed him ‘Kebab Boy’ after Littler jokingly stated he appreciated to have fun victory with a greasy snack…

What’s Littler’s walk-on tune?

Littler thrills followers by swaggering out on stage to ‘Greenlight’ by Pitbull.

{The teenager} has stated a visit to Wrestlemania 33 in Florida – the place he “sung his head off” listening to the hit as a 10-year-old – impressed his tune selection.

A pure showman, Littler appears to relish the large stage, whether or not it is stoking the group or winding up his rivals…

And he isn’t averse to sampling fellow opponents’ walk-on routines, too…

Littler’s present world rating and prize cash

Littler entered the 2024 World Darts Championship ranked 164th on the earth – and would have been catapulted to ninth had he crushed Humphries.

He is at present twenty fifth within the PDC Order of Advantage, which is predicated on prize cash received over a two-year interval from rating tournaments, and crucially determines the line-up for a number of main tournaments over the calendar yr.

In accordance with the PDC rankings, Littler has thus far banked £303,500.

Humphries, Van Gerwen and Michael Smith are the present high three.

What’s Littler received thus far?

A 12-year-old Littler received the England Youth Grand Prix in 2019, earlier than the Covid-19 pandemic put a halt on all sports activities.

In 2021, he received the England Open youth title and notched up his first seniors title on the Irish Open. In the identical yr, Littler punched in a nine-darter on the JDC MVG Masters match.

In 2022, Littler averaged 121.86 in certainly one of his matches as he starred on the WDF Europe Cup Youth, the place he received gold within the three males’s competitions (singles, workforce and general). That efficiency noticed him chosen by England for a youth match the place he additionally struck gold.

Littler received the Junior World Championship on the finish of the yr, and additional youth titles got here in 2023 – together with the PDC World Youth Championship.

However he went mainstream at Ally Pally throughout a sensational run on the 2024 World Darts Championship.

A 106.12 common noticed Littler thrash Christian Kist within the first spherical, and {the teenager} all of a sudden incomes worldwide consideration noticed off Brendan Dolan and Rob Cross in his breakout match, solely to lose an exhilarating closing 7-4 to Luke Humphries.

The eye didn’t seem to faze him, as a result of Littler swiftly received his first PDC senior title in his debut occasion on the Tour on the Bahrain Darts Masters – hitting a nine-darter in opposition to Nathan Aspinall within the course of.

Littler is that this yr competing in Gamers Championship occasions, which run to October 31. He made his debut in Wigan on February 12 – and promptly hit a nine-darter.

The teen has additionally made waves on the European Tour, profitable each the Belgian Darts Open and Austrian Darts Open, after which his vanquished closing opponent declared him a “generational expertise”..

The World Championship finalist makes use of his personal set of darts manufactured by sponsors Goal. They are a pixel grip, which are typically costly in comparison with regular darts with longer 45mm factors.

He makes use of the No 6 Okay Flex in 26mm, which makes the arrows an all-in-one system so they do not pop off when he holds a bunch of flights.

Littler stands in an ordinary place, holding his darts together with his thumb, finger and center finger, with the purpose mendacity on his forefinger.

{The teenager} makes use of longer factors in order that when the darts sits within the board there’s extra room of scoring a most or 140.

What soccer workforce does Littler assist?

In addition to following rugby league aspect Warrington Wolves, Littler is an enormous Manchester United fan.

He was given the red-carpet therapy firstly of the 2024, assembly legendary former supervisor Sir Alex Ferguson, and not too long ago ran the rule over his favorite former United gamers, together with David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo.

And he is tried to show the present crop a factor or two on the oche…

What occurred with Littler in Liverpool?!

Littler had anticipated a hostile reception attributable to his footballing allegiance when the Premier League Darts match rolled into Liverpool.

However he cheekily responded to the group’s boos by reminding them of Everton’s Merseyside derby win the earlier night time.

Revelling within the ambiance, Littler duly secured his third nightly win of the season to maneuver 5 factors clear on the high of the desk.

What do individuals say about him?

Phil Taylor: “I like his perspective in direction of the sport, I prefer it as a result of he is obtained that little little bit of needle when he will get beat. Some individuals name it cocky, some individuals name it vanity, it is not, it is nothing to do with that. The lad is aware of his capability, he is aware of how good he’s and he is aware of he can get higher.”

Michael van Gerwen: “Luke has a really brilliant future forward of him. Everyone knows that, however you continue to need to cease him, and it’s important to do the proper issues in opposition to him. His scoring energy is immense. Do I’ve to chase him? He has to chase me nonetheless. I am about 150 tournaments in entrance of him, so good luck to him.”

Michael Smith: “Everybody’s fallen in love with him. He is even greater than Phil Taylor who received 16 world titles, Luke is the preferred factor in darts.”

Sky Sports activities’ Wayne Mardle: “I am a darts fan at first; I used to be watching (the World Darts Championship) and I had goosebumps watching him. I really like individuals attaining and that was a boy attaining one thing on the world stage. We might by no means see the like once more. We noticed it with Phil Taylor after which we noticed it with Michael van Gerwen. This can be the third coming of that. I do not know, however I am a bit bit carried away.”

Littler is again in motion in entrance of the Sky Sports activities cameras on Might 2 because the Premier League heads to Aberdeen. Simply three common gameweeks stay till the play-offs.

• Might 2: Premier League, Evening 14 – Aberdeen (P&J Dwell)
• Might 9: Premier League, Evening 15 – Leeds (First Direct Area)
• Might 16: Premier League, Evening 16 – Sheffield (Utilita Area)
• Might 23: Premier League Play-Offs – London (The O2)

The World Cup of Darts takes place in June, however Littler can have competitors from present world champion Humphries and former world champion Smith to symbolize England.

If he’s nonetheless within the high 32 by July, the Warrington teen may head to the long-lasting Winter Gardens in Blackpool for the World Matchplay.

Solely the highest 24 on the earth qualify for the World Collection Of Darts Finals in September, but when his top-32 spot remains to be intact, he can have sights set on the World Grand Prix from October 7.

The Grand Slam of Darts from November 9 could be the subsequent huge alternative as the highest gamers head to Wolverhampton, with the 2025 World Darts Championship – set to begin in mid-December – rounding off his breakthrough yr.

Premier League Darts takes place each Thursday and runs throughout to the Play-Offs on Thursday, Might 23. Stream Sky Sports activities Darts with out a contract by means of NOW