Luke Littler’s maiden UK Open victory comes with the bonus of getting one up on Michael van Gerwen.
The 18-year-old won the UK Open for the first time with an emphatic 11-2 victory over James Wade in Minehead.
Littler reeled off an astonishing nine legs in a row right from the start of the match.
Wade had just eliminated world number one Luke Humphries in the quarter-final and sliced through his semi-final against Josh Rock with confidence.
However, the 41-year-old former champion, with titles from 2008, 2011, and 2021, found himself overwhelmed by Littler’s clinical display.
The Warrington prodigy averaged an impressive 101.50 compared to Wade’s 88.06 and clinched the victory with a swift 16-dart leg.
Littler’s task was made significantly easier by Wade’s poor showing—a paltry 11.76 per cent checkout conversion rate highlighting how he froze in the final.
“I had a job to do; I just wanted to pick up the trophy, and it’s one I can tick off the list now,” Littler told ITV4.
“It’s one I’ve wanted to win. It’s my third time here; I came here two years ago as a 16-year-old, last year I was in the quarter-final, and now I’ve gone two better this year to win it.”
Littler capped off his victory with a double six, landing the £110,000 top prize, solidifying his place among the darts elite.
This monumental win has widened the gap between him and Michael van Gerwen on the PDC Order of Merit to over £400,000.
The PDC Order of Merit ranks the world’s top darts players based on prize money earned in PDC-ranked events over two years.
Littler and Van Gerwen share a competitive history, having met recently in the Premier League Darts.
Previously, Littler had triumphed over the Dutchman at Alexandra Palace, walking away with an astounding £500,000 prize and earning the title of the sport’s youngest-ever world champion.
However, Van Gerwen refused to allow back-to-back defeats to the young star, narrowly defeating Littler 6-5 in a tense match, establishing an early points edge over the 18-year-old.
Despite taking a 5-3 lead in the first-to-six contest, the three-time world champion found the match anything but simple.
Littler clawed back, winning the next two legs and setting the stage for a tense final. Yet, Van Gerwen kept his composure on a nervy double eight, securing his place in the next round.
In a testament to his newfound success, the 18-year-old has upgraded his living situation, moving his family into a new home just down the road from their former two-bedroom semi, now worth £180,000.
As reported by the Mirror, Littler has signed a year’s lease for a remarkable property, dishing out a hefty £6,000 monthly, complete with a swimming pool, a spacious garden, and an impressive six bathrooms.
He has also revealed previously that he enjoys spending his money on the video game FIFA’s Ultimate Team.
“That’s what I’ve always done,” Littler told The Times.
“When I win money, I just treat myself, buy some packs, get some good players.”
His passion for gaming runs deep, so much so that he takes his Xbox along during his tours across England.
“When I am abroad, I cannot take my travel case,” Littler told the JaackMaate Happy Hour podcast.
“But when we went to Brighton, I just took my travel Xbox. It’s a suitcase; you flip it up, it has a little screen, two controllers, and you have a wireless phone. You put your phone on it, and it charges. Target got it for me.”
The Nuke can next be seen in action during The Premier League Darts 2025 Night 5, which will be held in Brighton at The Brighton Centre.
He is facing Chris Dobey on Thursday, March 6th, at 7:30 p.m.
