Luke Littler v Luke Humphries: The 'friendly rivals' spurring each other on to take darts to greater heights

Back in the winter of 2023, Luke Humphries must have felt he was about to have the world of darts in the palm of his throwing hand.

Having won his maiden major title in the World Grand Prix, Cool Hand quickly followed it up at the Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals in breathtaking fashion. As the World Championship arrived, we were braced for a long Humphries era to ensue.

Yet somehow, despite lifting the world title and ascending to the top of the rankings a few weeks later, he began 2024 – unfairly but also understandably - in the shadows of a generational talent nobody saw coming. Well, not this soon.

Anyone else in his shoes would be forgiven for feeling a bit bitter that his achievements were almost lost in the hype and hysteria surrounding Luke Littler, who was already destined to become biggest star in darts history.

But not Humphries.

Appreciating the bigger picture – including the financial growth and exposure that darts is capitalising on right now – this tremendous ambassador for the sport has built one of the friendliest sporting rivalries you’re likely to see with Littler, and just over a year on, the pair are in prime position to pull clear of the chasing pack for years to come.

They currently hold EIGHT of the 10 major titles available (Littler five, Humphries three) and at least one of them has been involved in 13 of the last 16 major finals dating back to October 2023 (Littler 6, Humphries 10) while they’re streaking clear at the top of the Premier League.

Current PDC major title holders

• World Championship (LUKE LITTLER)
• World Masters (LUKE HUMPHRIES)
• UK Open (LUKE LITTLER)
• Premier League (LUKE LITTLER)
• World Matchplay (LUKE HUMPHRIES)
• World Grand Prix (Mike de Decker)
• European Championship (Ritchie Edhouse)
• World Series of Darts Finals (LUKE LITTLER)
• Grand Slam of Darts 2024 (LUKE LITTLER)
• Players Championship Finals (LUKE HUMPHRIES)

Even though Humphries lost grip of his world title, he responded like a true champion by lifting the first major of the new season at the World Masters, with Littler then picking up the second at the UK Open.

It's simply relentless.

And then there's the prize money. Darts is in the most lucrative place it's ever been but at the moment the two Lukes are the only ones truly cashing in.

Littler soared past the £1.5million mark after winning the world title and he's now well on the way to £2million, while Humphries has already exceeded that barrier comfortably having won seven majors overall and plenty other trophy.

As Humphries told us recently: "We're just leaving a few scraps! I just think we're two young lads at the top of the sport - we can't not enjoy that. We get along well and we enjoy playing each other. It's always exciting for the fans when we do. And I think that kind of thing allows you to relax and have fun.

"I know that the rivalry back in the day used to be more fierce than that, but I haven't got it in me. I don't want animosity and I don't think Luke does either. We just want to get along with our business and give the fans what they want - a great game.

"Of course when we play other we want to beat each other but there's always that element of enjoyment and respect between each other.

"We both came through to this level at a similar time - maybe I was four or five months before in terms of winning majors but it is very similar. We look at each other and think we can keep riding this out for another 10 years!"

As for the attention, Humphries doesn't seem to have an envious bone in his body about it.

He said: "Luke has got a bigger following, he's a bigger media star than myself, so he's going to get more headlines, more people liking posts and commenting on posts because he's got more fans than I have. When you've got a bigger following and a bigger superstar you get more attention.

"It happens in all sports. You see it in snooker where Ronnie O'Sullivan will always be the star no matter who wins the World Championship.

"So that will be the same with darts now. I could probably win five world titles and he'll still be the star but rightly so. He's the biggest we've ever seen.

"I'm not too fussed about it. I'm just here to try and battle it out with Luke and have fun and hopefully we can have some great games in the next few years and probably contest more major finals."

Littler v Humphries: Head-to-head statistics

The following comparison is only using data collected since Luke Littler's World Championship debut in December 2023, and while the Nuke dominates every area on the PDC Tour, his closest challenger in almost every area is the world number one.

• Total Matches
  Littler: 244
  Humphries: 218
• Matches Won
  Littler: 191 (Highest win rate on Pro Tour)
  Humpries: 159
• Overall Average
  Littler: 99.91 (Highest)
  Humphries: 98.49 (3rd highest)
• Televised Average
  Littler: 101.66 (Highest)
  Humphries: 98.84 (2nd highest)
• 100+ averages
  Littler: 128 (Highest)
  Humphries: 95 (2nd highest)
• Televised 100+ averages
  Littler: 80 (from 122 games) - highest
  Humphries: 58 (from 119 games) - 2nd highest
• High non TV average
  Littler: 122.96
  Humphries: 119.15
• High TV average
  Littler: 114 (v MVG in 2024 Premier League)
  Humphries: 113.71 (v Cross in 2024 Premier League)
• 180s
  Littler: 663 (Highest)
  Humphries: 521 (2nd highest)
• 180s Per Leg
  Littler: 0.42 (Highest)
  Humphries: 0.34

Littler v Humphries: Match history

Luke Humphries may have won their first ever battle in the 2024 World Championship final but since then it's been his younger rival that edges their head-to-head record.

In fact Cool Hand had lost all six of their previous Premier League meetings since they both made their tournament debuts in 2024 - including last year's final - but the world number one finally stopped the rot to win a recent weekly final in Exeter.

Here's their previous matches in chronological order:

• 2024 World Championship final: HUMPHRIES 7-4 Littler
• World Series 2 QF: Humphries 5-6 LITTLER
• Premier League QF: Humphries 2-6 LITTLER
• Premier League SF: Humphries 5-6 LITTLER
• Premier League QF: Humphries 5-6 LITTLER
• Players Championship 7 L32: Humphries 5-6 LITTLER
• Premier League SF: Humphries 5-6 LITTLER
• European Tour 4 L32: HUMPHRIES 6-5 Littler
• Premier League Grand Final: Humphries 7-11 LITTLER
• World Series 7 SF: HUMPHRIES 7-6 Littler
• European Tour 12 L16: HUMPHRIES 6-3 Littler
• European Tour 13 SF: HUMPHRIES 7-4 Littler
• Players Championship Finals: HUMPHRIES 11-7 Littler
• Premier League F: Humphries 5-6 LITTLER
• Premier League F: HUMPHRIES 6-4 Littler

Littler and Humphries making perfection look easy

Luke Humphries was responsible for hitting one of the two nine-darters in one night in Brighton last Thursday night and while Luke Littler surprisingly didn't supply the other, he managed to break his perfect leg duck for the year in this week's Players Championship 5 event.

Then Cool Hand achieved the feat in Players Championship 6 the following day!

But don't let all this convince you that a nine-darter is now easier than a 147 break in snooker. Here’s some stats to keep to hand when you next find yourself in a debate about it…

• There’s been 16 World Championship nine-darters in 26132 legs since 2009 at one every 1633 legs
• There’s been six Crucible 147s in 9551 frames since 2009 at one every 1591 frames
• Dart players will actively ‘go’ for the nine-darter at the start of every leg
• Snooker players won’t actively ‘go’ for a 147 unless they feel it’s possible
• Dart players may ‘only’ need 9 perfect darts, but how many 36 pots in a 147 have to be ‘perfect’ especially when playing for areas or potentially benefitting from a ‘fluke’ (eg Cliff Thornburn!)
• How many of those 36 are absolute sitters for a professional player?

Even if you haven’t changed your mind, the gulf in difficulty is probably closer than you think.

Darts: Related content

• 2025 Premier League Season
• 2025 PDC Darts Calendar
• How Littler won £1million in one season
• What's easier, a nine-darter or a 147?
• Watch: Ranking the major winners in history
• Watch: Royal Rumble and other new tournament ideas
• Watch: How much do darts players earn?
• Watch: Is Luke Littler the next Phil Taylor?
• Watch: Building the perfect darts player
• Watch: How to become a darts professional
• How legends would fare today
• Troubles and triumphs
• Tournament ideas for darts
• 'What If' moments in darts
• Agony of missed match darts
• Good, Bad, Ugly: Nicholson on darts shirts
• Referees in darts
• Calling the shots in darts
• Weird actions in darts
• Hidden talents in darts
• Superstitions in darts
• Routes to glory
• Paul Nicholson's five darts drills
• Paul Nicholson's five mental tips
• Paul Nicholson's five practice games
• Worst losers in darts
• World number ones in darts
• Best players never to be number one
• Five characters in darts
• Do averages lie?
• Greatest Tournaments Ever
• Paul Nicholson's Ally Pally tales
• Watch all the Ally Pally nine-darters
• Players everyone hates to face
• Players everyone loves to face
• How to make it as a pro?
• How much money do players earn?
• Greatest darts rivalries
• Rivalries to cherish
• Be canny with counting
• Phil Taylor's greatest display
• Greatest World Championship displays
• World Cup of Great Darts performances
• Sky Bet's darts odds