On Thursday 4 January 2024, there was a bit of shock when Luke Littler was selected to take part in the 2024 BetMGM Premier League Darts.

The then 16, now 17 year old had just reached the World Darts Championship Final, losing to Luke Humphries. Littler captured the sporting world during those 16 days, but could he maintain this form over 16, possibly 17 weeks?

The answer? An emphatic yes. The Nuke justified his selection in the most ridiculous way by defeating the same opponent 11-7 in the Premier League Darts final at The O2 in London, becoming the youngest player ever to win a PDC major TV event. Not only that, he hit a magical nine dart leg in the showpiece game, becoming just the second player in history to do so after Phil Taylor hit two in the same match against James Wade in 2010.

It’s yet another chapter in Luke Littler’s remarkable story, which is showing no signs of stopping.

Dream Premier League Darts debut for Littler

After reaching the World final, The Nuke won the Bahrain Darts Masters (hitting a nine darter en route) and made the final of the Dutch Darts Masters. Expectations were therefore sky high for the remarkable teenager when he took to the stage in Cardiff on the opening night back in February.

Even though he did beat the world number one Humphries, and made a final the next week in Berlin, it took a while for him to get going in this format. Coming into the second half of the season, he was in fifth and not in the Play-Offs.

That all changed on Night Nine in Belfast, as he finally picked up his first nightly win by defeating Nathan Aspinall. The floodgates then opened for The Nuke, as he made five finals in six weeks, winning four of them.

This all led to him topping the league phase by the end of the season, heading into his first Finals Night as the number one seed.

So to The O2 then, and a semi final against Michael Smith, arguably one of the most in-form players and winner of Night 16 in Sheffield. Littler raced out of the blocks into a 7-2 lead, before eventually getting over the line 10-5.

It felt like destiny that he should meet Humphries in the final, five months on from their Ally Pally final epic. The two betting favourites before a dart was thrown, would contest one of the biggest matches in the PDC.

The game itself started slow, and it seemed like both were feeling each other out when they went off for a break at 5-5. However, much like the missed double two in the World final, the game turned with one outstanding shot.

Straight after the interval, Littler fired in a 180. Humphries did the same. Littler repeated the trick again, while Humphries could not. After months of teasing nines in the Premier League Darts, The Nuke popped in the 141 outshot to send the darts record UK crowd of 14,000 inside The O2 wild.

Humphries himself showed great class in acknowledging the feat, but when he lost the following leg, the game seemed like it was done. In fact, six legs later, it was, as the Warrington ace pinged double top for victory.

“Littler could be the greatest talent ever seen”

In his post-match interview to Sky Sports, Littler cupped his fingers to his ears and asked where the doubters were. Safe to say, if there are any left, they’re going to be very quiet for a while.

The stats for someone who people said weren’t ready for the Premier League Darts are just mind blowing. He ended the competition with 126 180s, easily the most in a campaign. He led the league for six of the last nine weeks. He picked up four nightly wins, a joint record with both Humphries and Michael van Gerwen, and is the first player to top the league phase on debut since Glen Durrant in 2020, who, like Littler, went onto lift the trophy on Finals Night. For someone so young, it is extraordinary.

What’s also extraordinary is how the young man deals with the pressure and expectation from fans, the media and the rest of planet darts. The showmanship he has when he walks on stage, the way he interacts with the crowd when playing, the sheer brashness to go for outrageous finishes, such as the three double 20 outshot when playing Peter Wright on the final night of league action. The kid, yes kid, just exudes confidence.

Littler is currently on a rollercoaster ride that is bringing the sport to new heights. As Michael Smith said in an interview to us recently, he puts more money in every player’s pocket. Sponsors who probably thought darts was still stuck in the days of Not The Nine O’Clock News are suddenly interested in the game. Premier League Darts ticket sales were up by 40%. For the first time, Finals Night at The O2 sold out. Much of that can be put down to the way The Nuke grew the interest in darts during his magical run at the Worlds, and how he continues to do so during his debut year on tour.

The nine darter capped off his ridiculous campaign, his fourth in 2024, which equals the PDC record for a calendar and we’ve not even hit halfway. He’s also second on the Order of Merit qualifiers for the World Grand Prix, and even more impressively, third for the World Matchplay in July despite having six months less than the rest of the field to get there. Having already been favourite to lift the Phil Taylor Trophy before Finals Night in Blackpool, his odds will have shortened considerably again.

It’s not outrageous to suggest that Luke Littler could be the greatest talent darts has ever seen. Having won on the Pro Tour, twice on the Euro Tour, and now picked up the biggest non-ranking TV title of them all in just five months, before he’s legally able to vote, he continues to rewrite what is possible in the sport.

There’s no more doubts about just how special this boy is. Give him the green light, because he’s ready to go.