Luke Littler becomes youngest darts world champion at 17 after beating Michael van Gerwen

3 January 2025, 22:00 | Updated: 3 January 2025, 23:48

Luke 'the Nuke' Littler has beaten Michael van Gerwen 7-3, becoming the youngest darts world champion at 17.

Littler was in tears after throwing the winning dart in front of an electric Alexandra Palace crowd.

He has spent the last 12 months proving that his breakthrough run was not a fluke, winning 10 titles in 2024, including the Premier League and Grand Slam of Darts.

But this was the big one he wanted and it validates all the hype that has surrounded him.

The 17-year-old was the better player throughout the match, surging to a 4-0 lead before winning it seven sets to van Gerwen's three.

He averaged 102.73, threw 12 180s and took out 56 per cent of his doubles.

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The match was effectively over after just 24 minutes of action as Littler won 12 of the opening 15 legs.

That was due to a mixture of Littler's scoring power and a damagingly poor success rate on the doubles for Van Gerwen, who missed a host of important chances.

He finally got on the board with a 132 checkout but it was more of the same as Littler continued to keep him at arm's length.

Van Gerwen was the previous youngest world champion, having won the first of his three world titles in 2014 aged 24.

For him, the wait for a first title since 2018 goes on.

"I can't believe it, honestly, I can't believe it," Littler told Sky.

"We both played so well, and I said I needed to get off to a quick start tonight, and that's what I did. But I knew Michael was behind me the whole game. Everyone dreams of lifting this trophy. I can't believe it.

"That first game against Ryan Meikle, I keep saying it, but it's the game that really mattered, and throughout I've just settled.

"At 2-0 up (in the final set) I started getting nervous but I said to myself to just relax. I was throwing for the match and to get it over and done with then was special."

Littler added: "I learned a lot (in last year's tournament). Last year in the semis against Rob Cross, that was the first time I was 1-0 down, and then obviously against Luke.

"No-one will know this, but earlier today, I watched all of the game back against Luke and I just had the visions."

Asked what the rest of 2025 holds for him, he said: "Anything. I could end 2025 winning absolutely nothing, but I've picked up the best.

"I want to get more than 10 titles this year, but if I end 2025 with nothing, I've picked the big one up."

Van Gerwen said: "Fair play to him, every chance he got, every moment he had to hurt me, he did it. I sometimes say that every 17 years a star gets born, and he is one of them."

Reacting to the win, Keir Starmer said: "Mesmerising performance from Luke Littler to win the World Darts Championship.

"Congratulations Luke on being the youngest ever PDC World Darts Champion. An inspirational performance under such pressure to lift the trophy.

"You should be really proud of what you've achieved tonight, not just for yourself but for the sport of darts as a whole."

Warrington Wolves posted on X: "CHAMPION OF THE WORLD. We could not be prouder of you @LukeTheNuke180, huge congratulations! Wow. Unstoppable."

There was also a post from 16-time world champion Phil Taylor which said: "Huge Congratulations to @LukeTheNuke180 what a fantastic performance and now a Champion of the World."