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EXCLUSIVE: Luke Littler won his first of what promises to be many world titles at Alexandra Palace earlier this year, but his journey to top had a few stops along the way
A Nuke now nestles on the darting throne, but for those who witnessed him obliterate an old stomping ground, Luke Littler’s rise is no surprise.
Despite many first acquainting themselves with a bright-eyed 16-year-old Littler during his demolition of Christian Kist at Ally Pally over 12 months ago, the road to becoming the PDC’s youngest world champion has a backstory.
Before he was the Pro Tour reaper, Littler appeared five times on the MODUS Super Series – a platform born out of lockdown that has grown exponentially to offer stellar prize money to those without PDC Tour Cards and now has its own 24-hour channel on Pluto TV.
Chris Murphy, the series’ CEO and executive producer, became well acquainted with the reigning world champ during his MODUS dominance in 2023, and the lifting of the Sid Waddell trophy was apparently on the wall.
“He’s not got a mean streak in him as a person, but on the dartboard, he’s a monster and an entertainer. You’re thinking, ‘This guy has got everything,’” was Murphy’s initial reaction to first witnessing a budding Nuke.
“Everyone was quite excited about him. People knew he’d hit nine-darters when he was 12, 13 in the JDC and things like that; they knew he was a special talent, but we’ve seen that before, and it has never been fulfilled.
“When he came to the MODUS Super Series, obviously we spend a lot of time with the players, they’re in here for a whole week. I was quite taken by his maturity. I know people say his appearance is older than he is, but I felt his attitude was as well.
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“Yes, he is a typical teenage boy in many ways; he plays his Xbox and stuff – the way he lives his life – when I spoke to him, especially doing interviews, he was very, very level-headed. It kind of struck me, and he was quite humble, especially when he got on stage in front of a crowd – a real showman.”
The electricity that radiates around venues when Littler walks out and ‘Greenlight’ sounds is seldom witnessed within the world of darts. Yet, this entertainer-esque persona was sharpened MODUS’ Portsmouth stage, as it was in front of just 150 people that the magician learned his tricks.
“I think he honed those skills here,” added Murphy when asked about Littler’s ability to send crowds into frenzies. “On a Saturday night, when we had an audience. It’s obviously a lot more intimate than the Ally Pally, but I think he started coming out of his shell.
“We saw him in the Premier League last year go three tops for a 120 finish. Here, he’d do things like bull, 11, bull or even go for three bullseyes on a 150. He did a 170 where he put the two treble 20s in and turned around to the crowd and sort of got them all going – he hit the bullseye. I can’t imagine many players in the world would hit that.
“So, that showman element was always there. I just couldn’t find a flaw – and still, there hasn’t been one. I’m not saying he would have achieved what he’s achieved without us. He’s a special talent. But it certainly probably helped him achieve it quicker.”
Littler’s growth has left a lasting effect on the Super Series, to boot. Their fanbase has grown on the back of his story, and those wanting to unearth and bear witness to the next darting diamond have seen tickets snapped up.
“I think it’s a dual thing for us,” Murphy continued, asked about the Littler effect. “First of all, a lot more people are interested in darts because of Luke Littler, whether he played at the MODUS Super Series or not. And everybody in darts benefits from that.
“But the fact that a big part of his story was here, obviously, is hugely beneficial to us. We sell 150 tickets on a Saturday night. There are people out there in the audience who can say, ‘I saw him before any of you lot.’ That adds to the charm of the event – people are now thinking if they come here, they might see the next Luke Littler.”
With the MODUS Super Series joyfully in Littler’s rearview mirror, it seems his future knows no bounds, though the platform’s CEO fears the 17-year-old’s influence on the game could be the very thing that comes back to bite him.
“Obviously, becoming a multiple world champion is the next step. I also think he probably will very quickly become the richest-ever darts player,” Murphy predicted. “The types of sponsorships and stuff he’s getting are just never heard of in darts.
“However, probably another Luke Littler will come on in 5 years or 10 years, in the same way, people thought Michael van Gerwen would dominate; that didn’t happen. There’ll be 12-year-old kids out there now that’ll be as good as Luke Littler was when he was 12, and you just never know how long it will last.”
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