Luke Littler's surprise side hustle shows the impossible - a young sports star without an ego

Instead, Littler spent his time selling sports cards and memorabilia online, personally handling listings and packaging orders himself before flying out to represent British darts on the global stage.

The 18-year-old even drafted in help from his girlfriend as he worked through eBay orders — a detail that speaks volumes in an era when many young stars wouldn’t know the first thing about handling their own affairs.

This is a young man who has already won the biggest prize in darts, secured one of the most lucrative sponsorship deals the sport has ever seen, and become a household name almost overnight.

And yet, while other teenage millionaires are busy curating their “brand” or lecturing the public on social issues, Littler is quietly grafting.

It’s no surprise that darts fans have embraced him. Unlike much of modern professional sport, darts has always prided itself on authenticity, accessibility and a sense of community.

Littler embodies those values perfectly — and in doing so, exposes just how detached many of today’s sporting celebrities have become.

There is something deeply unfashionable, even defiant, about a world champion who doesn’t behave like he’s above ordinary life. No airs. No entitlement. Just work.

As Littler prepares for the World Series of Darts, the pressure on him is immense.

He is no longer the upstart challenging the establishment — he is the standard bearer for the sport.

Every performance is analysed, every dip in form exaggerated. That burden has crushed many more experienced athletes.

But if his off-the-oche behaviour is anything to go by, Littler appears well equipped to handle it.

He hasn’t bought into the idea that success means separation from reality. He hasn’t fallen for the myth that fame excuses excess.

In a Britain crying out for positive role models, particularly for young men, Luke Littler offers a refreshing alternative.

He shows that ambition and humility can coexist, that success doesn’t require arrogance, and that staying grounded is not a weakness but a strength.

While much of modern sport drifts further from the people who support it, darts — led by its brightest star — seems determined to keep its feet firmly on the ground.