Key Points
- Luke Littler, 16, became the youngest ever player to advance to the World Darts Championship final.
- Littler will face the current world No.1, Luke Humphries, in the final.
- No unseeded player has ever won the World Darts Championship.
Luke Littler has taken on - and beaten - some of the best darts players in the world, as the teenager stands on the cusp of winning the World Darts Championship on his debut.
The 16-year-old's appeal extends beyond darts fans, with his charm, charisma and underdog story leading to support from far and wide, and more than 440,000 followers on Instagram.
His diet, as well as his darts, has also been a focal point at the championships in London. One of his most viral posts showed him enjoying a kebab to celebrate beating Andrew Gilding in the second round of the tournament.
He had previously told Sky Sports that he would treat himself to "a kebab and a Coke" after any victories in the championship.
Luke Littler defeated Rob Cross, the 2018 world champion. Source: AAP / Zac Goodwin/PA/Alamy
Who is Luke Littler?
Born in Runcorn in the UK, he started playing darts aged 18 months and joined a youth academy aged eight.
"By the time he was 10 we knew he was too good for his age," Karl Holden, Littler's former coach at the St Helens Darts Academy, told BBC Radio 5 Live.
Littler qualified for the tournament on the back of his placement in a development tour, and beat former World Champion Christian Kist in the first round, then UK Open champion Andrew Gilding in the second.
The teenager went on to defeat one of the most successful players in history, Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld, to reach the quarter-finals.
Wins over Brendan Dolan and Rob Cross have guaranteed a GBP200,000 ($373,800) prize, which could rise to GBP500,000 ($934,000) if he wins the title.
A tough task ahead
In the final, on Thursday AEDT, Littler will face world No.1 Luke Humphries, who knows he will have a tough task ahead.
"It feels amazing. I would never have imagined myself to be the world No.1. That is a special, special feeling," Humphries said.
"But like I've said in many interviews, world No.1 can last a couple of months, world champion is forever and I've got a really tough task tomorrow against Luke."
No unseeded player has ever won the PDC World Darts Championship.
Commenting on his preparation for the finals, Littler said he would not change his usual routine.
"In the morning, I'll go for my ham and cheese omelette, then come here, have a pizza, and then practice on the board.
"That's what I've done every day."
