Luke Littler will get 'beaten up' in Premier League as another darts star refuses to help teenager

Luke Littler will get 'beaten up' in Premier League as another darts star refuses to help teenager

WATCH NOW: Luke Littler reacts to hitting a nine-darter before the Premier League

Lewis Winter

By Lewis Winter


Published: 03/02/2024

- 10:45

The 17-year-old has been warned he won't be babysat during the Premier League

Peter Wright claims no darts players will help Luke Littler once he starts getting 'beaten up' during the Premier League.

Luke Humphries called on his fellow professionals to keep an eye on the teenager but Wright insists he won't be doing that.


Littler won his first match in the Premier League on Thursday in a repeat of the World Darts Championship final.

He beat Humphries 6-2 in the quarter-final in Cardiff, five days after knocking him out of the Dutch Darts Masters.

Luke Littler

Peter Wright has been warned he won't get protection from other players

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Littler suffered defeat in the semi-final on night one against Michael Smith, who eventually went on to beat Gerwyn Price in the final and pick up five points.

Ahead of the four-month-long tournament, Humphries said he and the other players would look out for the 17-year-old on debut.

The world No 1 said: "It’s important that all of the players look after him and no one takes advantage of him or use him too much, because that will happen in life - people will want to use him because of his popularity and stature.

"But all the players will look after him and make sure none of that happens."

Littler responded by thanking Humphries but insisted he could cope with the rigours and pressure of the Premier League.

He said: "I am grateful for what Luke has said. But I know what’s in line, I know I can handle it all myself."

Seven-time Premier League winner Michael van Gerwen said this week that he doesn't feel a duty to look out for Littler.

And now former two-time world champion Wright has given a similar verdict on the young star.

Wright claims it was Littler's choice to enter the tournament and no player will check on him once he starts getting 'beaten up' on the oche.

"He’s 17, it was his choice and his manager to come into the Premier League," Wright said.

"So no there should be no arm around anyone. Obviously, Luke Humphries is not going to get it even though it is his first Premier League.

"As soon as he starts getting beaten up on the floor and the Premier League, no one is going to hold him and make sure he’s alright.

"I don't think he should be babysat, you're into the hardest darts thing you can play in, in the Premier League and he's got to deal with it."

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Peter Wright

Peter Wright will not be looking out for Luke Littler in the Premier League

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Wright suffered defeat in his Premier League opener against Rob Cross, while Van Gerwen was beaten 6-5 after faltering in the final set against Smith.

Van Gerwen has already played Littler twice, losing to him in the Bahrain Masters final before getting revenge in the final in Den Bosch last weekend.

The Dutchman insists he will not show any mercy to him in future matches.

Asked if he feels a duty to protect Littler, Van Gerwen said: "Really? Of course not. Welcome to the big boys. He is not a youth player anymore. Those days are gone.

"Of course, he’s still only a kid, but now you have got to battle against each other on the stage and there cannot be any mercy whatsoever.

Michael Smith and Luke Littler

Michael Smith beat Luke Littler and went on to win the first night in the Premier League

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"It’s not hard at the moment because he doesn’t have any scars. Whatever he does, being a runner-up is good, winning is good.

"Whatever he does, whatever he says, everybody loves everything about him. But during a game, if he looks at his watch and says, ‘How can I miss again?’, in five years’ time they will boo you. That’s the way darts works now.

"At the beginning everything goes well, but then everything gets normal.

"Guys like him only get born once in so many years and he’s a special talent, of course, but he still has to do it every year. He is with the big guys now."

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