Luke Littler is within touching distance of winning a maiden World Darts Championship after a whirlwind year, which has seen him amass a fortune of over £1million
Luke Littler is set for a massive £500,000 payday if he manages to topple Michael van Gerwen in the PDC World Darts Championship final this Friday.
The 17-year-old darts prodigy has enjoyed a fairy-tale rise since making it to the final of the same tournament in his first attempt last year, where he finished as the runner-up to Luke Humphries. Littler’s demolition job on Stephen Bunting in the semi-finals has now paved the way for a titanic showdown with MVG at Alexandra Palace.
The Warrington teenager aims to become the youngest-ever world champion while pocketing half a million. The Nuke has been racking up wins on the tour in the past year, bagging three major titles and 21 in total. That has earned him an eye-watering £1,105,233 in prize money, as we now look at some of his biggest individual achievements and payouts to date.
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World Darts Championship – £200,000
The tournament where Littler made his mark as a mere 16-year-old. The darts prodigy displayed maturity and skill well beyond his years as he stormed his way to the World Championship final, dropping just six sets.
Although he ended up losing out to Humphries, his runner-up prize of £200,000 was a sign of what was to come. He revealed that his near quarter of a million pound payday would help fund his humble pleasures: Under Armour tracksuits, EA FC points and kebab takeaways.
Premier League – £275,000
Littler nailed a spot in Premier League darts as a wildcard after taking the darts world by storm at Ally Pally. But he wasn’t simply there to make up the numbers, capping off an unbelievable five months by getting revenge on Humphries with a 11-7 win in the final back in May.
That victory crowned him as the youngest champion the competition has ever seen. Having already been named in Forbes’ 30 under 30 list, he lined his pockets further with a £275,000 prize.
World Series of Darts Finals – £80,000
In September, Littler won his first-ever World Series of Darts Finals title in Amsterdam. He bounced back from trailing by two legs early on to thrash Michael Smith 11-4 in the final.
Littler had knocked out home favourite Van Gerwen with another 11-4 in the semi-finals, bagging himself a well-deserved £80,000 prize pot. The Englishman confidently replied after being asked if he’s currently the best player in the world: “Probably over this weekend.”
Grand Slam of Darts – £150,000
Not content with resting on his laurels, Littler claimed the first TV-ranked major title triumph of his career in November. He lifted the Grand Slam of Darts trophy in Wolverhampton, claiming a £150,000 jackpot after a dominant 16-3 victory over Martin Lukeman.
The teenager’s other triumphs, which have earned him huge sums of money over the past year, include the UK Open (£15,000), World Matchplay (£10,000) and World Grand Prix (£7,500), meaning he has now comfortably exceeded the £1,000,000 milestone.