Luke Littler is set to face an estimated £164,500 tax bill after lifting the 2026 Premier League Darts title.
The teenage sensation defeated Luke Humphries 11-10 in a thrilling final to reclaim the crown and secure the £350,000 winner’s prize, while Humphries collected £170,000 as runner-up.
But despite the huge payday, a significant chunk of Littler’s winnings is expected to go straight to HMRC.
Under UK tax rules, prize money earned by professional sports stars is treated as taxable income. With Littler already comfortably inside the highest earnings bracket, the majority of his latest winnings will likely be taxed at the top rate.
It is estimated that around 45 per cent of the £350,000 prize — roughly £157,000 — will be deducted through Income Tax alone.
On top of that, the world champion is also expected to pay National Insurance contributions at an estimated two per cent rate, which could add another £7,000 to the bill.
That would leave Littler handing over close to half of his Premier League earnings.
The figures remain estimates and do not include management commissions or travel expenses, although some of those costs can be claimed as tax-deductible business expenses.
In the UK, the additional 45 per cent tax rate applies to earnings above £125,140, meaning almost every extra pound Littler earns this year is likely to fall into the highest bracket.
However, the 19-year-old has already taken steps to reduce the impact by setting up his own limited company, a common move among professional darts players who operate as self-employed contractors.
Importantly, HMRC taxes players on profit rather than gross earnings, meaning Littler can offset part of the bill through allowable expenses such as tournament travel, accommodation, and management or agent fees.
The Premier League play-offs took place at London’s O2 Arena on Thursday night, with the top four players battling for the title.
Littler reached the final after edging past Gerwyn Price 10-9 in a dramatic semi-final, while Humphries defeated Jonny Clayton by the same scoreline.
After beating Humphries in another deciding-leg thriller to win the trophy, an emotional Littler reflected on the difficult road to glory.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “It’s been a rollercoaster, the first four weeks, bottom of the table, and then the fifth night, I won my first night.
“I had to pick myself up, some tough times. I went to Brighton, I had a 79 average or something and it was tough, I was down bad, but yeah, I’m here with the trophy.”
After gathering himself, Littler added: “After Brighton and the incident in Manchester (with Gian van Veen), I was sat at home saying to Faith (Millar, his partner), ‘I don’t want to do it anymore, just the crowd every week’.
“I said to her: ‘I’m down bad.’”
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