Luke Littler has retained his PDC World Darts Championship title, defeating Gian van Veen 7-1 at Alexandra Palace on Saturday. The 18-year-old, known as 'The Nuke', becomes the first player to secure back-to-back world titles since Gary Anderson achieved the feat a decade ago.
Littler's journey to glory was not without controversy. Earlier in the tournament, he faced jeers from the crowd during his fourth-round match against Rob Cross. After a 4-2 victory, he told fans: 'You guys pay for tickets – you're paying for my prize money. Thank you for booing me.' The comments drew criticism from fellow players, including James Hubbard who urged him to 'behave like' a world number one.
Following his triumph, Littler appeared to soften his stance, taking to Instagram to thank supporters. He said: 'Wow, thanks for all your support from the very first game. Without your support, I couldn't have gone back-to-back. Thank you to everyone on all social platforms, it means a lot to me.'
The win earned Littler a £1 million prize, but tax expert Nicole Zalys of The London Accountant estimates he faces a 45 per cent tax rate due to his existing income, resulting in a potential bill of around £450,000.
Littler paid tribute to Master of Ceremonies John McDonald and referee George Noble, who are retiring, and offered condolences to Anthony Joshua's team following a recent tragedy. He added: 'The first time was so nice, I had to do it twice.'
