Why Luke Littler is still not world No1 despite best darts player on the planet completing Triple Crown within 15 months
Midway through his second year as a professional player, The Nuke completed the Triple Crown set when he lifted the Betfred World Matchplay at Blackpool's Winter Gardens on Sunday night.
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Within a 15-month period, the 18-year-old has taken possession of the Premier League Darts crown, the World Championship and now the Matchplay title – the three most prestigious and richest tournaments in the sport.
Littler is Box Office material and his 18-13 victory in the final over James Wade was secured with a three-dart average of 107.24.
That was the highest seen in the final since Phil Taylor was victorious in 2014 – the year he won his 15th of a record 16 crowns – with 107.19.
The £200,000 winner's cheque means the Warrington teen has earned £1,500,500 in ranking money since the start of January 2024.
That total does not include the HALF A MILLION pounds he has earned from competing in two editions of the Premier League.
Luke Humphries is top of the standings with £1,797,750 but the gap is only £297,250 and there is a fair chance Littler will become the official world No.1 come the end of the year.
In fact it might come sooner than that when the packed autumn schedule begins and there is a run of four major TV titles that carry lucrative cash sums.
The PDC Order of Merit is based on prize money won over a two-year period by players in ranking tournaments.
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List of all-time Darts World Champions
BELOW is a list of darts world champions by year.
The list does not include winners from the pre-Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) era or BDO world champions.
That means Raymond van Barneveld, for example, is only listed once - Barney also won four BDO titles - and none of Eric Bristow's five BDO titles are included.
1994 - Dennis Priestley
1995 - Phil Taylor
1996 - Phil Taylor (2)
1997 - Phil Taylor (3)
1998 - Phil Taylor (4)
1999 - Phil Taylor (5)
2000 - Phil Taylor (6)
2001 - Phil Taylor (7)
2002 - Phil Taylor (8)
2003 - John Part
2004 - Phil Taylor (9)
2005 - Phil Taylor (10)
2006 - Phil Taylor (11)
2007 - Raymond van Barneveld
2008 - John Part (2)
2009 - Phil Taylor (12)
2010 - Phil Taylor (13)
2011 - Adrian Lewis
2012 - Adrian Lewis (2)
2013 - Phil Taylor (14)
2014 - Michael van Gerwen
2015 - Gary Anderson
2016 - Gary Anderson (2)
2017 - Michael van Gerwen (2)
2018 - Rob Cross
2019 - Michael van Gerwen (3)
2020 - Peter Wright
2021 - Gerwyn Price
2022 - Peter Wright (2)
2023 - Michael Smith
2024 - Luke Humphries
2025 - Luke Littler
Most World Titles
14 - Phil Taylor
3 - Michael van Gerwen
2 - John Part, Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson, Peter Wright
1 - Dennis Priestley, Raymond van Barneveld, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Luke Humphries, Luke Littler
In the latter half of 2023, Humphries, 30, announced himself as the dominant figure, winning the World Grand Prix (£120,000), Grand Slam of Darts (£150,000) and Players Championship Finals (£120,000) – before lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy (£500,000) for the first time.
In total, Cool Hand Luke has to defend £890,000 prize money between October 6, 2025 and January 3, 2026.
Luke Littler, 18, plants kiss on girlfriend Faith, 19, during walk-on for World Matchplay Darts quarter-final
In contrast, Littler is defending NOTHING right now because he is yet to complete a full second term in the pro ranks.
Everything he gets is a free hit and will only boost his chances of being the top oche thrower.
If Humphries were to keep losing in the early rounds – his Matchplay defence ended in round one in a 10-8 loss to Gian van Veen – and Littler continues to win, then the switch between the two Lukes will take place sooner than possible.
It might happen in November at the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton, that is assuming Humphries is knocked out early at the World Grand Prix in Leicester.
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There is a strong chance come the start of the 2025/26 PDC World Darts Championships, which begins on December 11 and is now a 20-day event, then Littler will return to Ally Pally, where he was victorious in January, as the undisputed best player on the planet.
Do not forget, of course, that the prize money for the Worlds has doubled from £500,000 to £1million this time, which completely skewers the world ranking standings even more for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
I've looked at the rankings provisionally. I'm No.1 for the Worlds if Luke doesn't defend all that prize money."
Luke Littler after winning the World Matchplay
Littler has long said that his main ambitions in the sport are to win every major at least once and become world No.1.
That might happen sooner than he wants – indeed this time next year he may tick off all those targets.
Speaking on Sunday night with the Phil Taylor Trophy in his hands, Littler said that he had looked at the PDC website and had done the maths.
He said: 'The start of my career I wanted to win one of every major. There's not that many to go.
'I've looked at the rankings provisionally. I'm No.1 for the Worlds if Luke doesn't defend all that prize money.
'Obviously I don't want him to. But we'll just have to find out and try and add more money to my rankings.'
Asked if he would still have the hunger to win after potentially lifting every major title at least once, Littler replied: 'That's what everybody is probably thinking once I've won one of everything.
'But for myself, I have to build on it and get multiple of everything, triple of everything. Once I win one of everything, I won't pack it in just yet.
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