Luke Littler in tears as darts king, 17, hugs girlfriend after £275k victory
Luke Litter dissolved into tears after decorating the Greenwich peninsula with a nine-dart leg and another slice of history.
On the meridian where east meets west, Littler straddled the world and absconded into the Docklands sunset with £275,000 – taking his prize total from the tournament to £315,000 – the best pocket money a 17-year-old phenomenon can win. In front of a British record 14,000 audience in the Professional Darts Corporation era, Luke the Nuke became the youngest winner of a TV major.
Just 141 days after their momentous World Championship final at Alexandra Palace, Littler and Luke Humphries served up another classic for the ages at London’s O2 arena. And Littler garnished his 11-7 triumph in the BetMGM Premier League play-off with a perfect leg, the cheeky beggar.
READ MORE: Luke Littler hits nine-darter in ‘greatest moment’ to win Premier League final vs Luke Humphries
READ MORE: Luke Littler misses nine-dart attempt as he crushes Michael Smith to reach final
Lifting the trophy, he turned to the crowd and swaggered: “I just want to say to all the doubters: I won, I just picked up this and you are not doubting me any more.” Before Warrington’s boy wonder stole his thunder, only Phil Taylor had reached the final of both the PDC World Championship and Premier League play-offs at the first attempt.
But as Littler unfurled the first nine-darter in a Premier League final since the Power’s pair of show-stoppers against James Wade in 2010, a new star rose over the capital’s night sky. When Littler the magician meets Humphries the machine, something has to give – and since he fell just short at Ally Pally, the kid with the Midas touch has now won nine of their last 11 encounters.
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(Image: Getty Images)
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Luke the Nuke nearly blew the roof off the famous wigwam when he nailed double 12 to clinch the 11th leg in nine darts and double top to seal his £275,000 winner’s pay cheque as well as £40,000 in bonuses for winning four nights of the regular season. He said: “It’s so good to win, but to do it in front of my family, my girlfriend and manager is so special.”
Humphries, waving his hand as if to suggest there was a draught blowing his arrows off-course, was gracious in defeat, saying: “We finished first and second in the league table and tonight we proved we are the two best players in the world.”
Littler had begun he night marching on stage to his Greenlight anthem, conducting the crowd like a symphony orchestra – yes, Luke, most of them had come to see you – and soon he had Michael Smith dancing to his tune. He didn’t just destroy the former world champion 10-5 in the opening semi-final – he sent ‘Bully Boy’ to the abattoir.
(Image: PA)
Although Littler’s 100.30 average was nothing exceptional by his standards, it was only dragged down by one inexplicably wayward leg where he was reduced to the madhouse checkout of double one. On the whole, it was exhibition stuff. And Smith, who had beaten Luke the Nuke five times in their previous seven meetings, simply couldn’t live with him this time.
Humphries then ended Michael van Gerwen’s bid for a record eighth Premier League crown, also by a 10-5 margin, to set up another all-Luke final. A shout-out to Cool Hand Luke for his 132 checkout, which left even Clog Almighty wide-eyed with admiration: bullseye, bullseye, double 16. Absolute filth.
