Luke Littler eyes £12k boost in shock move after World Grand Prix as rankings plan clear

Luke Littler beat Luke Humphries in the PDC World Grand Prix final at Leicester Arena and will be back in action again less than 24 hours after, instead of having a day off

Luke Littler has turned down the opportunity to have a day off after winning his first World Grand Prix title. The world champion will instead enter a PDC World Youth Championship qualifier in Wigan on Monday.

Littler beat Luke Humphries 6-1 in the final at Leicester Arena on Sunday, winning five of his six sets in final-leg deciders. After claiming his seventh PDC major televised title, the 18-year-old confirmed that he would be back in action within 24 hours.

“I’ll head to the World Youths tomorrow and see everyone and have a bit of fun,” Littler said to Sky Sports. “I don’t think anyone is going to be my friend tomorrow, but it’s 20 minutes up the road, and I will try my best.

READ MORE: Luke Littler confirms shock career decision after decisive World Grand Prix winREAD MORE: Luke Littler lands whopping £120k prize in brutal Luke Humphries demolition

“I could have had the day off, but why not? Play the World Youth, then two [PDC] ProTours in Wigan and have the weekend off.”

‘The Nuke’ did not enter last year’s tournament for players under 24, despite being the reigning champion. In his absence, Gian van Veen, whom Littler beat 6-4 in the 2023 final, won last year, and the Dutchman is also entering qualifying on Monday.

The pair played out a high-quality match opening round of the World Grand Prix, which Littler won 2-0 in 11 minutes. That victory set the teenager on course to a £120,000 payday and helped him close the gap to world number one Humphries.

Littler acknowledged as much afterwards during a news conference, saying: “This is my time and I’ve just got to keep going. Obviously, until I get that world number one spot, I will never call myself the best in the world.

“Whoever’s number one, they’re the best. But knowing I’m only £70,000 in prize money behind Luke, and then he’s got to defend all of his prize money from the Grand Prix, the Players Championships and the World Championship.

“I don’t want to think about it too much, but I could be world number one before that World Championship. I’ve just got to keep chucking away and put as much pressure as I can on Luke.”

The World Youth Championship has a total prize pool of £100,000, with the overall champion winning £12,000. Both of those amounts are up from 2023, when Littler last entered, as his victory in 2023 came with a £10,000 cheque from a total pool of £60,000.

But first, Littler will have to finish as one of the top two players in Monday’s qualifier at the Robin Park Leisure Centre. The final then takes place on 23 November in Minehead, at the same time as the Players Championship, scheduled between the semi-finals and the final of that tournament, in which Littler was the runner-up to Humphries last year.

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