Luke Littler has already eclipsed darts legend Eric Bristow in prize money earnings, just over a year into his professional career. The 17-year-old, who won the World Championship last week, earned £500,000 for his victory against Michael van Gerwen at Alexandra Palace.
Littler has now banked over £1 million in prize money since bursting onto the scene in late 2023. In contrast, Bristow, a five-time world champion, admitted in an interview with The Telegraph that the most he ever won was £42,000 in Japan in 1988. Adjusted for inflation, that sum would be worth approximately £110,000 today — far less than Littler's £500,000 World Championship prize.
Bristow also revealed that his last World Championship win in 1986 earned him around £20,000, which would be worth about £58,000 in today's money — only slightly more than the prize for quarter-final losers in the 2025 edition.
Despite earning over £1 million in prize money during his career, Bristow admitted he 'blew the lot'. He told ChronicleLive: 'My philosophy is you’ve got to enjoy life while you can. There’s not much point being the richest man in the graveyard.' Bristow passed away in 2018.
