Luke Littler jokingly accuses Luke Humphries of 'slacking' ahead of crunch Premier League clash
Luke Littler confident he will win World Championship in the future 030124
Luke Littler has jokingly claimed Luke Humphries is 'slacking' with his follower count on social media ahead of their Premier League clash tonight.
The duo will meet on Night Nine in Belfast, with Humphries very much the man to beat.
The 29-year-old has won the last three nights of action and could make history by becoming the first player to win four in a row.
He will need to be at his brilliant best to stop Littler, however, who has beaten his rival on three occasions since losing in the final of the World Darts Championship back in January.
Luke Littler has jokingly said Luke Humphries is 'slacking' when it comes to his social media ahead of tonight's Premier League clash
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Littler has become a social media phenomenon as a result of his brilliant performances, especially due to his young age.
And the 17-year-old, speaking on The Happy Hour podcast, has now jokingly said Humphries is 'slacking' in comparison.
Explaining his surge in followers, Littler said: “I remember going to my first game (at the World Championship) with my manager and he said: ‘How many followers have you got?’ and I went: ‘Only 4,000’, and he went: ‘If you win this game tonight, guaranteed 50,000, 60,000’.
"Honestly, as soon as I won, 40,000. Then as I got on it was 100,000, 150,000 and then up to 1.2million.”
When asked if he was the most followed darts player in the world, the youngster joked: “By a mile.
"Luke Humphries is slacking at about 300,000 I think. Maybe not even that.
"No one (in darts) has really spoken about it.”
Littler has previously indicated that he could retire from darts at a young age if he's had enough.
But the teenager has now admitted he'd love to beat Phil Taylor's record of 16 world titles by the time he walks away.
"I'd love to beat Phil Taylor's record of 16, so I'd say 18," he continued.
While Littler relishes his newfound fame, it does carry a few caveats.
And the youngster has admitted he sometimes struggles when fans are asking him for photographs, with the teenager finding the experience overwhelming.
“If I’m out, I don’t mind doing a few (photos) but when it gets too much, I just want to go home then," he said.
"I went to a (rugby league) testimonial game for one of the boys who have been at the club for 10 years.
"That was just mayhem. That wasn’t even a full stadium.
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Luke Littler will be hoping to deny Luke Humphries some darts history when they meet in the Premier League tonight
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“But I’ve to get out there and live my life. I don’t mind taking a few (pictures) but it does get over the top.
"I can’t even go out without someone noticing me. As soon as I step on my doorstep.”
Humphries, meanwhile, knows he can make Premier League history tonight.
But while Littler is battling to make the play-offs, his rival believes he's still one of the biggest threats.
“Four in a row? I’d be delighted to do things that nobody has ever done, but I would have to do it the hard way,” Humphries said.
Luke Humphries beat Luke Littler in the final of the World Darts Championship back in January
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“Luke not been as consistent of late, but like me also has that level where he can blow anybody away.
"He might not be playing at his optimum best, but I haven’t beaten him since the Worlds.
“It’s not about revenge - there is no revenge in darts – because I won the biggest tournament in the world.
"He has beaten me a few times since, but that’s because he’s so good.”