Darts prodigy Luke Littler couldn’t hide his envy as he watched Luke Humphries and Rob Cross each claim a stunning £30,000 set of golden darts during a thrilling night at the BetMGM Premier League in Brighton. The title sponsors rewarded both stars after they achieved the rare feat of hitting nine-darters, leaving Littler—nicknamed “The Nuke”—in awe. “I’d love to get my hands on those gold darts,” admitted the 18-year-old PDC world champion, who was off-stage when Humphries, now world No. 1, and Cross delivered their perfect legs.
Crafted by jewelers Humphrey and Hawkins, the £30,000 golden darts are a coveted prize. Despite technical glitches disrupting Sky Sports’ global broadcast, Littler still shone on the night, clinching Night Five with a commanding 6-3 victory over Nathan Aspinall in the final, after dispatching Chris Dobey and Michael van Gerwen earlier in the evening. Reflecting on the nine-darter spectacle, Littler said, “I saw the first one but missed the second. My dad showed me on his phone—Sky went down for the first, and while we were watching, beer was flying everywhere. We thought, ‘That’s no 170, it’s got to be a nine-darter.’ By the time the replay hit, we’d already missed it.”
Undeterred, Littler remains determined: “There are plenty of weeks left to grab those gold darts. How heavy are they? I might use them one night—maybe I can!” His form is electric, with dominant wins such as his 6-2 thrashing of three-time world champion Van Gerwen, who looked visibly deflated. With a UK Open title already under his belt and top standings in the Premier League alongside Humphries, Littler’s confidence is soaring. “The run I’m on, I’m happy with it,” he said. “Everything’s clicking. When I get a two- or three-leg lead, their heads drop, and that fires me up. If they’re down, I know I’ve got them.”
Littler’s night wasn’t without drama. Aspinall had a pint thrown at him as he entered to “Mr. Brightside” and later paused mid-throw when a spectator mimicked a farmyard noise. “It was crazy,” Littler remarked. “A pint thrown at Nathan right as he came on stage. Some crowds are great, some a bit rowdy—that’s darts fans for you.”
On his rivals’ hunger for success, Littler mused, “Are they as hungry as me? If they are, they’ll want it as bad as I do. When I see them tossing darts away, heads down, that’s when I pile on the pressure.” At just 18, with a Premier League night win and golden dreams within reach, Littler’s star continues to ascend.
