Teenage darts sensation Luke Littler faces a substantial estimated tax bill of £164,500 following his 2026 Premier League Darts victory. The 18-year-old, known as 'The Nuke', defeated Luke Humphries 11-10 in the final at The O2 in London, earning £350,000 in prize money.
HMRC treats professional prize money as taxable income, meaning Littler's winnings will be taxed at his top marginal rate of 45 per cent, stripping approximately £157,000 from his prize. An additional two per cent National Insurance contribution, estimated at £7,000, means he will surrender nearly half his jackpot.
Littler, who already earns well above the £125,140 threshold for the highest tax bracket, has set up his own limited company to ease the burden. He can offset some tax by claiming allowable business expenses such as travel, accommodation, and management fees.
In an emotional interview after the win, Littler told Sky Sports: 'It's been a rollercoaster... I was down bad.' He had considered quitting after a poor performance in Brighton and an incident in Manchester, but his partner Faith Millar encouraged him to continue.
