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The World Darts Championships ended on January 3 and crowned a new world champion, Luke Littler. He is the youngest champion in his discipline. His victory made him a global phenomenon, surpassing his sport and leading him to growing exposure, and allowed him to bank a tidy sum, which he was quick to share…
The World Darts Championships, which ended this Friday, January 3, managed to generate unparalleled enthusiasm. For 16 days, “Ally Pally”, originally a London theater, was transformed into a temple of darts. 3,500 enthusiasts gathered there, twice a day, to cheer the sporting exploits but also (and above all, one would be tempted to say) to down a few pints and party.
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Because the popularity of darts competitions also comes from their folklore. It is not uncommon to come across disguises, each more original than the last. Spectators, whether dressed as Daltons, Rasta Rocket or, simply, with a target around their heads, were able to witness the crowning of a new champion.
“I train between two games of video games”
Look no further for the new darling of the British, it's him. Young Luke Littler, 17, does not, at first glance, have the typical physique of a top athlete. Not even the lifestyle that goes with it. “I don't get up before noon, I eat my cheese and ham omelette, then a pizza and I work out, between two games of video games,” he likes to say regularly. But, in a popular sport like darts, this “everyman” side probably contributes to the sympathy he receives.
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He was unanimously praised by the British press. THE Daily Miror speaks of a “historic turning point” for his sport, The Guardian enthuses about “the crystalline beauty of this moment” when The Mirror simply compares him to Luke Skywalker: “Luke, you are the force.”
Pour The Sunit is quite simply “one of the finest performances we can see from a 17-year-old young man”. “The boy becomes king,” raves the tabloid, which also revealed an unusual scene from the celebration of the Littler clan.
1.5 million winnings in 2024
British journalists have indeed captured several photos of the prodigy distributing a wad of cash to his older brother, who will celebrate his birthday this weekend. It must be said that with a check for £500,000 (the equivalent of €605,000) pocketed following his title, Luke Littler can afford to be generous. Especially since he declared last year, “not knowing what to do with all this money”.
Luke Littler has now crashed through the £1.5million barrier in total prize money in exactly 12 months!
Most darts players won’t win that in their entire career and he’s not turned 18 yet. Absolutely staggering. pic.twitter.com/ifCKNmYuDU
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180)
At 17 years old, and while his career is just beginning, he has already won a whopping 1.5 million in winnings. With 10 titles in 2024, he has had a legendary season winning a sum that most darts players will never touch, even in their entire career. For comparison, the Frenchman Thibault Tricole, also in his first year on the circuit, won “only” 50,000 euros this year and only €15,000 for his exit in the 2nd round of these world championships.
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