Luke Littler has surged from complete obscurity to second place in the world darts rankings since bursting onto the scene as a 16-year-old.
The teenager went from unknown to household name after reaching the World Darts Championship final in 2024, where the £200,000 he earned as runner-up behind Luke Humphries launched him straight into the top 32 of the PDC Order of Merit.
A succession of tournament victories followed, propelling Littler to second place in rapid fashion. However, a substantial £574,000 gap still separates him from world number one Humphries in their battle for supremacy.
Despite the lucrative nature of the Premier League Darts, with its £275,000 winner's prize making it one of the most rewarding events on the darts calendar, victory would not assist Littler's ranking ambitions.
Luke Littler and Luke Humphries have a good relationship but are highly competitive
Reuters
Under PDC rules, the Premier League is not classified as a ranking tournament, meaning prize money does not count towards the Order of Merit.
The exclusive nature of the Premier League and the PDC's selection of four wildcards to complete the eight-player roster contribute to its non-ranking status.
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This classification prevents the substantial prize money from affecting the world rankings calculations.
Prize money accumulated over a rolling two-year period determines the darts world rankings, with Humphries' £500,000 jackpot for winning the 2024 world title still counting towards his overall total of just under £1.9 million. That figure could plummet if he fails to secure a second global crown at Alexandra Palace early next year.
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Luke Littler has to make it pas his bogeyman Gerywn Price
Reuters
Littler, who added £500,000 to his own haul by winning at the Ally Pally last time out, has set his sights on the top spot.
"At the worlds Luke Humphries is defending a hell of a lot of money," he said in March.
"So if he doesn't defend it, that's when it could be my chance to shoot up to number one.
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"Obviously, if I do play him in any ranking events I want to try and stop him from adding onto his prize money and defending it. I think number one is in sight now."
The two Lukes have established themselves as the dominant forces in world darts, pulling clear of the chasing pack as the sport's premier throwers. Last November, Humphries acknowledged that his teenage rival had gained the upper hand in terms of current form.
Luke Littler has won a record six Premier League nights
PA
He told Sky Sports: "With the averages he's putting in, it's fair to say he's hitting a big bit of form like I did in 2023. If you're at your best and winning, it's easy.
"But if you're not at your best and winning, it's harder. It's quite close between us both, to be honest, but with the averages he's putting in, it's quite easy to say he is playing the best darts at the moment."
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