Luke Littler has cemented his status as a sporting phenomenon, becoming the first player in darts history to win £1 million in a single tournament after a commanding victory to defend his World Darts Championship title.
A Record-Breaking Payday at Alexandra Palace
The 18-year-old prodigy, known as 'The Nuke', secured his second consecutive world title on 4th January 2026 with a dominant 7-2 sets victory over 23-year-old Dutch challenger Gian van Veen. The unprecedented prize money, funded in part by the event's ticket sales as Littler himself reminded the crowd, marks a watershed moment for the sport.
Littler's path to the final was characterised by sheer dominance, having dropped only three sets in his six previous matches at the Alexandra Palace, darts' iconic Mecca. However, in van Veen, he faced a formidable opponent. The Dutchman had already eliminated world number two Luke Humphries and the legendary Gary Anderson, showcasing a powerful scoring game and relentless finishing.
The Final: A Display of Ruthless Precision
The match began with van Veen roaring out of the traps, taking the first set with a spectacular 116 checkout. Littler started cold, missing several doubles, while his opponent threatened with checkouts of 145 and 127. Yet, as he has done so often, Littler recalibrated.
He broke back to level the match with a 116 finish of his own. From there, the pressure became constant and brutal. Littler took the third set with a stunning 170 checkout, a devastating blow that seemed to signal the beginning of the end for van Veen's challenge.
The most visible sign of concern from Littler came not from his opponent, but from an unexpected guest—a wasp that invaded his airspace, briefly disrupting the hushed, focused atmosphere of the final.
Feeding Off the Energy to Seal Historic Win
Back in his rhythm, Littler glided to a 3-0 set win to lead 3-1. Van Veen briefly sparked a revival with a 137 checkout at the start of the fifth set, but Littler immediately snuffed it out, reeling off the next three legs. As van Veen's missed doubles mounted and his self-admonishments grew, Littler's control became absolute.
Like a sporting vampire, he appeared to feed off the negative energy, channelling it into ever more precise arrows. The contest was fittingly sealed with a breathtaking 147 checkout, wrapping up a 7-2 triumph and confirming his place in the history books.
In victory, Littler continues to polarise with his on-stage showmanship and clap-backs, but his talent is undeniable. As the crowd—both fans and critics—rose to applaud, the teenager from Warrington had indisputably stamped his mark not just on darts, but on the global sporting landscape. He is the sport's first million-pound man, and at just 18, his era may only be beginning.
