Ten-times TV major winner James Wade ruffled feathers with a remark about his “lazy” rivals on the oche – and Luke Littler agreed with him, even if he wasn’t the specified target
Luke Littler responded to James Wade’s “lazy” jibe at elite darts players by admitting: “He’s right – I am lazy in the practice room.”
As Luke the Nuke crashed out of the Winmau World Masters, beaten 4-2 by Jonny Clayton, he was baffled to lose despite averaging 108.50. That means Littler has averaged 105.12, 107.59 and 108.50 in his three competitive defeats in 2025 – an astonishing feat.
Ten-times TV major winner Wade ruffled feathers after his first round win against Mike De Decker at the Winmau World Masters with a broad-brush remark about his rivals on the oche. The ‘Machine’ was NOT having a dig at Luke the Nuke, who went on to whitewash Wade 4-0 at Arena MK the following night.
He said: “I don’t believe anyone is amazing, apart from probably the Lukes (Littler and Humphries), and after that they can be quite lazy. They are not Phil Taylors and not Michael van Gerwens at their best, but they are phenomenal players and there are gaps in the market.”
Littler, 18, was made aware of Wade’s remarks – and agreed with them, even if he wasn’t the specified target. The PDC world champion said: “I didn’t see it at the time but he’s right – I am lazy in the practice room.
“I don’t have to practice for hours and hours. You know yourself as a player when you’ve practised for that long, you are warmed up and ready to go.”
Littler begins his defence of the Premier League title he won as a 17-year-old in Belfast next week insisting he can drive his averages even higher.
He said: “James Wade is no mug. Sometimes I do surprise myself. Then again I can look at myself and go, ‘You’ve got the game to do it. You are world champion, you can beat anyone.’
“Last year there were a few early exits in the majors, so obviously this year I want to go further – get a win at the World Matchplay, European Championship and World Grand Prix. That was a big learning curve for myself. Now I know what to expect when I go to those venues.”
Littler has now been knocked out with those ton-plus averages in Bahrain, Den Bosch and Milton Keynes since he became the youngest darts world champion of all time.
But any talk of a hangover from Ally Pally is frivolous. He is not playing badly, but the former boy wonder couldn’t catch a break as Gerwyn Price, Stephen Bunting and Clayton raised their game to beat him.
