Luke Littler through the years from toddler to world champion as darts prodigy turns 18 with world at his feet

SHOWMAN Luke Littler has officially become a man.

Today, on Littler’s 18th birthday, the world champion isofficially an adult – he can buy booze, fireworks and register to vote.

Luke Littler made history by becoming the youngest ever world champion at the age of just 17Credit: Getty

Littler paraded his World Darts crown at Old Trafford on SundayCredit: GettyLittler crushed Michael van Gerwen 7-3 in the World Darts final at the start of January to cap off an incredible 12 months, in which he’s become a household name and flown to the top of the alternative world rankings.

To add insult to injury, the 17-year-old stole MVG’s record as the youngest ever world champ with seven years to spare.

The teen, who has claimed £1.5m in prize money in his short career, was also recognised at the SPOTY Awards where he took second place. But what are the secrets behind his meteoric rise?

Here’s everything you need to know about the darts prodigy on his milestone birthday – from learning to play in nappies as a toddler to showing off the Sid Waddell Trophy at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Nappy beginningsLITTLER picked up his first set of darts when he was barely a year old and never looked back.

He told Sky Sports: “There’s a video on YouTube of me when I was 18 months in a nappy listening to Raymond van Barneveld’s music, listening to Phil Taylor’s music, doing their celebrations.

“That’s when it started – 18 months and in a nappy on a magnetic board bought by my dad, who was a darts player.

“Aged four or five I was on a proper board but it was a bit low and then about seven to eight, that’s when I started playing at the proper height and the proper length.”

Luke Littler was still in nappies when he threw his first dartCredit: YouTube

Littler’s mum Lisa shared a picture of Luke playing darts in a Steven Gerrard England kitCredit: X @lisalittler

The Warrington ace has excelled at darts since an early age

Littler got glasses at two years oldCredit: SOCIALLocal lad’s 11+THE next step was for nine-year-old Littler to join a coaching programme – enter St Helen’s Darts Academy where Littler learned his trade.

Co-founder coach Karl Holden said: “He was clocking stupid averages that you should be getting at like 16 to 20 years old, but he was doing it at 10.

“He was special then. When he was 13 he was just too good for the Under-21s. Every year he was a bit better than the last.

“He’s a freak of nature, honestly, he really is. I’d say he’s the Cristiano Ronaldo of darts.”

By 11, he was playing against grown men and beating them.

At 12 years old, Littler won the England Youth Grand Prix in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic put a halt on all sports.

Within months, he came up against Luke Humphries, 28, for the first time at a competition on Hayling Island.

Humphries – who beat The Nuke in the world championship final last year – clinched victory over Littler, who was ten years his junior.

But a year later, the birthday boy was kicked out of St Helen’s aged 13.

Holden revealed it was because he was simply too good to play against kids his own age and most of the adults.

Littler crafted his darts technique at the St Helens Dart ShopCredit: Credit: Instagram / @sthelensdartsshopwa119nb

Littler won the England Youth Grand Prix in 2019 at the age of 12

The Littler family met darts legends Wayne Mardle, Bobby George and Eric BristowCredit: X formerly Twitter / @LukeTheNuke180Boyhood coach Holden told the BBC: “It might sound bad but we sort of got rid of him out of the academy.

“Luke knows we didn’t mean that in a nasty way. It was like, ‘Don’t come here no more. You’re just too good’.

“He was never going to achieve anything there so we was just saying, ‘Go and beat all the men in the world’.”

And he did just that. The Modus Super Series lowered their age limit so Littler could compete and he won twice.

The Warrington ace then hit a nine-darter at just 14 years of age while competing at the JDC MVG Masters in an empty sports hall in 2021.

But hundreds packed into Sidac Social Club, in Sutton Leach – St Helen’s base- to watch Littler become the king of darts on January 3.

Littler recently said he “can’t quite believe” he trended higher than the King in Google’s most searched for lists in the UK last year.

Littler’s first coach Karl Holden

Fans packed into Littler’s old darts academy to cheer him onFirst taste of silverware and dumping GCSEsAT age 14 the Nuke won the England Open youth title in 2021 and notched up his first senior title at the Irish Open.

This saw him qualify for the Lakeside World Championship and the darts community started to become aware of a new kid on the block.

He went on to lose in the last-16 to Richard Veenstra, who recorded the highest average of the event’s history to beat Littler.

In 2022, Littler averaged 121.86 in one of his matches as he starred at the WDF Europe Cup Youth, where he won gold in the three men’s competitions (singles, team and overall).

He was subsequently selected by England for the youth tournament, where he was part of the team which won gold.

Littler was also back-to-back JDC World Champion and reigning World Youth Champion in 2022 and 2023.

The Nuke won the England Open youth titleLittler dropped out of education at the age of 16 to focus on being a full-time darts player.

The Nuke revealed that he didn’t manage to pass any GCSEs, bar Physical Education, in order to pursue becoming his dreams of global oche domination.

In January 2024, he said: “I don’t have any GCSEs, everyone probably has more than me. Although, I did pass my sport.”

At the end of the year, though, something particularly special happened when he was eligible to qualify for the biggest show in darts…

The Nuke won the England Open youth title aged 14Credit: X formerly Twitter / @LukeTheNuke180

Littler has shared his journey on InstagramCredit: X

The Nuke played Luke Humphries for the first time in 2019Credit: X / LukeTheNuke180

Littler, with his brother here, left school at the age of 16Credit: SOCIALShocking the worldLittler’s unprecedented run in the 2023-24 World Darts Championship aged just 16 made him an instant celebrity.

The teenager beat three former world champions on his journey to the final – and overcame his hero Van Barneveld and Rob Cross in the semis.

But in-form Luke Humphries stole Littler’s glory after fighting from 4-2 down to win 7-4 in the teen’s first Ally Pally final.

Despite his young age, Littler was only the seventh player to reach back-to-back PDC world finals a year later.

Littler beat three former world champions on his journey to the 2024 finalCredit: AP

Match referee Russ Bray comforting Littler after his loss to Luke HumphriesCredit: Getty

Luke Humphries came from 4-2 down to beat Littler in January 2024Credit: APMeeting his idols in a breakthrough 2024Last year saw record-breaking success for Littler on the senior stage and a split from 21-year-old girlfriend Eloise Milburn in July.

He became only the fourth player ever to win 10 trophies in a season, including the Premier League, Grand Slam and World Series of Darts Finals – not to mention the big one at Ally Pally.

He told SunSport in November: “I just wanted to win a few Pro Tours, but obviously winning Bahrain, the World Series, and then it was just European Tours, Pro Tours, and just all the titles I’ve picked up.

“It just goes to show how well I’ve been playing.”

Littler’s celebrity status has risen with every dart he’s thrown – and is now through the roof as the recently-crowned world champ.

His Instagram account went from 4,000 followers at the start of the 2023 Worlds to over 450,000 by the final. Now it’s at 1.6 million.

And rather than be overawed buy his rapid rise to fame, he has taken everything in his stride over the last 12 months.

After Bahrain in January 2024, Man Utd super-fan Littler was treated to a special day at their Carrington training base.

He had his shirt signed by favourite player Alejandro Garnacho and challenged Harry Maguire to throw a few arrows later in the day.

Littler then met legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson in the directors box after United’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham.

Littler met idol Sir Alex Ferguson last yearCredit: INSTAGRAM

Fergie signed his Man Utd shirt on his visitCredit: INSTAGRAM

He had a selfie with current captain Bruno Fernandes

And played a round of darts with Harry MaguireBecks, celebrity pals and SPOTY in his final year of childhoodWhile this was all going on, David Beckham had slid into his DMs as the two stuck up an unlikely friendship. 

Beckham is now following him on social media and they have exchanged messages.

Football’s elite also wanted a piece of Littler.

When Arsenal were staying in the same hotel as him, Declan Rice and former keeper Aaron Ramsdale reportedly asked security for a picture with Littler.

“Shouldn’t it be the other way around,” Littler joked.

F1 ace Lando Norris and Littler also got together to throw some darts and take a spin around the track in a racing car on a tour of Silverstone.

Because he has become so bankable and popular, TV execs now can’t get enough of Littler.

An appearance on the Jonathan Ross Show saw Littler share the sofa with Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown and Oasis rocker Liam Gallagher.

Despite being surrounded by those A-listers, it was Littler who was the top draw.

He even got to give actress Brown a lesson in how to throw darts – who could have foreseen Hollywood and darts crossing over so seamlessly?

Such was Littler’s rise in popular culture, it also spawned a reboot of cult game show Bullseye with Freddie Flintoff before Christmas.

Aaron Ramsdale and Declan Rice wanted a snap with Littler last year

Littler landed the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year Award

Littler also starred on the Jonathan Ross Show and showed off his talents

Bullseye was revamped with Littler making a cameoCredit: ITVHis 18th year so far…THE teenager was gifted an early birthday cake by a GIANT COW during a meal with his loved ones in Bahrain last week.

Littler crashed out to eventual title winner Stephen Bunting at the Bahrain Darts Masters on Friday.

But things quickly turned around for him when he was invited to parade his Sid Waddell Trophy at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The Man Utd super-fan showed off his silverware to the 74,000-strong crowd at half-time against Brighton.

And Butlin’s – who host several PDC darts events each year – have also given The Nuke an early birthday gift.

Littler paraded the World Darts Championship trophy in front of Man Utd fansThe holiday resort chain has given him a special Black Card Pass to their famous Big Weekenders at an adults-only location.

For the past 13 months, Littler has established himself as a legend of the darts drinking classes but not been able to partake with them in the activity.

But from today, he is allowed, by law, to walk into a pub and buy his own pint – and toast one of the most astonishing debut years in British sport.

Littler has been coy about his plans in one of the bleakest weeks of the year, when it’s cold outside, there are only eight-and-a-half hours of sunlight and most of us are still paying off Christmas credit card bills.

There has been a feeling that once he turns 18 his rivals might be more outspoken in press conferences.

He might have been a child up until Monday but he has never acted like one in the environment of a darts tournament.

The Nuke has a few days off before travelling to Holland for the Dutch Darts Masters where he could face Van Gerwen once again.

And who knows what awaits for the new man about town?

Littler was gifted a cake with his photo on it by a giant cow during a visit to Buffalo Wings & Rings in Bahrain