PDC Rule Blocks Luke Littler from Closing Gap on Luke Humphries in Rankings
Luke Littler was denied a chance to significantly narrow the gap with world No. 1 Luke Humphries in the PDC Order of Merit due to a Professional Darts Corporation rule that excludes Premier League Darts prize money from ranking calculations, per Express.co.uk. This restriction, evident during the 2025 Premier League final on May 29, underscores Littler’s chase for the top spot and mirrors the resilience of athletes like Jannik Sinner and Jasmine Paolini.
The PDC Rule and Its Impact
The Premier League, with a £1 million prize pot and £275,000 for the winner, is not a ranking tournament, meaning its earnings don’t count toward the PDC Order of Merit, which determines rankings based on a two-year prize money total, per Express.co.uk. Littler, who lost 11-8 to Humphries in the 2025 final, earned £125,000 as runner-up, while Humphries pocketed £275,000, per Express.co.uk. Despite Littler’s 45-point league phase lead and six nightly wins, the £573,000 gap between his £1.3 million and Humphries’ £1.9 million remained unchanged for ranking purposes, per Express.co.uk. Littler’s earlier comment, “If Humphries doesn’t defend his [2024 World Championship] money, that’s when I could shoot up to number one,” highlights his strategy, per Express.co.uk.
Littler’s 2025 Premier League Campaign
Littler, the 2024 Premier League champion, topped the 2025 standings with a record 45 points, defeating Gerwyn Price 10-6 in the semi-final before falling to Humphries, per SkySports.com. His season included 11 titles, like the World Championship (7-3 over Michael van Gerwen) and £1.5 million in ranked earnings, per TheGuardian.com. Humphries, leveraging Phil Taylor’s advice, overcame a 3-0 deficit, averaging 97.86 to Littler’s 100.29, per BBC.co.uk. Both players faced a disruptive draft at The O2, with Humphries shaking his head in frustration, per Express.co.uk.
Humphries’ Ranking Advantage
Humphries, the 2024 world champion, holds a £650,000 lead over Littler, bolstered by his £500,000 2024 World Championship win, per Express.co.uk. He must defend titles like the 2023 World Grand Prix and Grand Slam in late 2025, or risk losing ranking points, per Express.co.uk. The Masters in February 2025, where prize money counts toward rankings, offered Humphries a chance to extend his lead, as neither defended prior winnings, per Express.co.uk.
Parallels to Resilience
Littler’s pursuit of No. 1, despite the PDC rule, mirrors Sinner’s focus amid his 2025 French Open snub and Paolini’s calm defusal of a fan fight, per Sportskeeda.com, SI.com. Wozniacki’s advice to Raducanu to rebuild and Aspinall’s warning of “more Littlers” reflect perseverance, per Sportskeeda.com, The Irish Sun. Littler’s defiance, like his Leeds crowd taunts, echoes Holger Rune’s attitude, per GBNews.com, Express.co.uk.
Conclusion
A PDC rule prevented Luke Littler from closing the £573,000 Order of Merit gap with Luke Humphries, as Premier League prize money doesn’t count toward rankings, per Express.co.uk. Littler’s 2025 runner-up finish earned £125,000, but Humphries’ £275,000 win didn’t alter their standings, per Express.co.uk. Like Sinner’s grit, Paolini’s poise, and Wozniacki’s guidance, Littler’s chase persists. They team up for the World Cup of Darts, June 12-15, live on Sky Sports.
