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Luke Littler

Darts results: Luke Littler wins Grand Slam of Darts on sensational debut and joins elite group of players to claim 10 PDC titles in one season

By Chris Hammer

Darts

Mon November 18, 2024 · 1M ago

Luke Littler's unfathomable debut season in the PDC reached yet another new height as he won his maiden ranking major title at the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.

After overcoming the legendary Gary Anderson 16-15 in a pulsating semi-final that will live long in the memory at the WV Active Aldersley, the 17-year-old sensation later returned to the oche to destroy tournament outsider Martin Lukeman 16-3 and get his hands on the Eric Bristow Trophy at the first attempt.

Littler dropped the opening two legs of the match but stormed back in emphatic and unplayable fashion, finishing the match with an average of 107.08 and 12 maximums while he also pinned 45% of his doubles.

It capped a remarkable Grand Slam debut in which he averaged over 102 in all seven matches across the week - and in excess of 105 for the tournament - as well as hitting 60 180s and 10 100+ checkouts to hit the headlines once again.

LITTLER IS THE GRAND SLAM CHAMPION! 🏆

Luke Littler wins the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts on debut! 🙌

A quite simply sensational performance from The Nuke! 👏#GSOD pic.twitter.com/3a7njrfh2n
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) November 17, 2024

Littler, who completed the victory in less than 35 minutes of playing time, said: “I’m so glad to win this title. "I’ve been playing really well all tournament; it’s been a tough week, but the hard work has paid off!

“I’ve always got to have my scoring power with me, no matter who I play. I had a slow start against Martin, but I kicked on from there.

🤑 Luke Littler has now won 10 PDC titles in his debut season. The Grand Slam of Darts is his first ranked major and he's now won over ONE MILLION POUNDS in prize money in all competitions. pic.twitter.com/9vjj4vcFGb
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) November 17, 2024

“I knew coming into the tournament, if I did get my hands on the trophy I’d be up to number five in the world. There’s still more ranking tournaments to go this year, so hopefully I can go a bit higher than number five!

“I cannot wait to play in both events. Hopefully I can have a deep run in Minehead, and then it’s all eyes on the big one - the World Championship!"

While his final average was third highest in Grand Slam final history, just behind Phil Taylor's 109.04 in 2011 and Gerwyn Price's 107.86 in 2019, his tally of maximums smashed the previous record of 52 set by Adrian Lewis in 2013.

The stats that explain how Luke Littler has won 10 titles and banked £1million in prize money at the age of 17 in his debut season. Crazy. pic.twitter.com/NaOiWctHqn
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) November 17, 2024

Since taking the world by storm with his run to the World Championship final back in January, the 17-year-old has continued to prove why he's unanimously dubbed a 'generational talent' by picking up 10 titles in 11 months as a PDC pro including the lucrative Premier League with victory over the player who defeated him at the Ally Pally Luke Humphries.

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This achievement is made even more impressive when you consider he suffered early exits at the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and European Championship. Although this was this Littler's first ranked major title, it was also his fifth televised crowd having also landed the Premier League, the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam and two other World Series titles in Bahrain and Poland.

His latest winners' cheque of £150,000 takes his overall earnings this year to over the £1,000,000 barrier while his ranked cash of £558,500 lifts him up to fifth in the world in less than a full season.

Luke Littler is just the fourth different player ever to win 10 or more PDC titles in a single season. To emulate Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen and Peter Wright at the age of 17 in his debut year is astonishing. pic.twitter.com/zopnrbBHgU
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) November 17, 2024

To put that statistic into jaw-dropping perspective, Littler is one of just five different players to have reached double figures for trophies in a single season, following in the footsteps of Michael van Gerwen, Phil Taylor and Peter Wright.

The Warrington ace won't end up anywhere near MVG's record of 25, which was set in his ultimate heyday of 2016, but to have already reached a milestone that many darting legends have never reached in a calendar year at such a young age sends out an ominous warning to the rest of the tour about how hard titles will be to come by in future seasons.

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Lukeman halted Littler’s astonishing sequence of 15 straight legs to get a third leg on the board, which received the biggest cheer of the night.

“Luke is just different gravy,” he said. “He is absolutely brilliant. He has done great things for the sport and has brought in so many new fans.

“I wish Luke and his family all the best. He’s a great kid, and I couldn’t live with him tonight.”

This is why we love darts 🤣

👏 Luke Littler won 15 legs in a row until this moment from Martin Lukeman! pic.twitter.com/Ei3yAbZbxq
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) November 17, 2024

Lukeman 3-16 Littler: Match Statistics

Averages
Lukeman: 93.42
Littler: 107.008
180s
Lukeman: 1
Littler: 12
Checkout %
Lukeman: 50%
Littler: 45.7%
100+ checkouts (High)
Lukeman: 0
Littler: 2 (124)

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Luke Littler's Tournament Statistics

Average: 105
100+ Averages: 7 out of 7
180s: 60
Checkout %: 46.31%
100+ checkouts (High): 10 (167)

Grand Slam of Darts semi-final round-up

Littler had earlier recovered from 13-9 adrift against Anderson to triumph with a 103 average and 16 maximums.

The Flying Scotsman produced an inspired seven-leg blitz to seize control, conjuring up 164, 142 and 102 checkouts during this spell to race into an 11-7 lead.

Littler levelled at 14-14, only to relinquish his throw immediately as Anderson pinned tops to move to the brink of a historic triumph.

However, the Warrington ace forced a decider before crashing home a 14-dart hold to deny the two-time world champion.

Words just can't do that justice. Unreal darts.

Luke Littler and Gary Anderson 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏pic.twitter.com/Uw61XjjLyz
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) November 17, 2024

Ridiculous end to a leg as Gary Anderson casually chucks in three bulls at a crunch moment of the Grand Slam semi-final against Luke Littler 🤣pic.twitter.com/QqtD8FiPNi
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) November 17, 2024

Lukeman became the first Tour Card Holder Qualifier to feature in the Grand Slam final following an impressive 16-12 success against fellow debutant Mickey Mansell.

Mansell made a confident start to lead 3-0, although Lukeman responded by winning six of the next seven legs - aided by 122 and 88 finishes on the bull.

The Northern Irishman enjoyed a mid-match revival to level at seven apiece, but Lukeman proved too strong, averaging 99 and landing a dozen 180s to book his place in a maiden televised final.