Luke Littler has revealed his birthday plans for turning 19, including a Dubai getaway—and he’s recalled the brilliant trick he pulled on paparazzi during his 18th birthday celebrations last year.
The two-time world champion celebrated an early birthday present by defeating Michael van Gerwen 8-5 to win the inaugural Saudi Arabia Darts Masters on Tuesday night, just hours before turning 19 on Wednesday, January 22. But while the darts world watched him dominate in Riyadh, Littler was already planning how to mark his milestone birthday in style—and reflecting on how he outsmarted photographers 12 months earlier.
The Perfect Birthday Timing
Littler couldn’t have timed his Saudi victory better if he’d tried. The final at Riyadh’s Global Theater concluded late on Tuesday evening, giving him just enough time to lift the trophy, pocket £30,000 in prize money, and prepare for birthday celebrations that would start at midnight.
“Obviously, I’m celebrating my birthday tomorrow,” Littler said immediately after his victory. “I’m going over to Dubai with my family and girlfriend and have three days off.”
The Dubai trip with girlfriend Faith Millar and his family represents a brief respite before the darts calendar intensifies again. But it’s not the first time Littler has marked his birthday with careful planning—and last year, that planning included an ingenious decoy operation.
The Great Paparazzi Deception
Reflecting on how he celebrated turning 18 in January 2025, Littler revealed a story that showcases both his media savviness and his determination to enjoy a normal birthday despite growing fame.
“Yeah, it was weird obviously,” Littler explained in an interview earlier this year about his 18th birthday. “Surely they know that I’m going to go out, but obviously before that I was on TikTok playing my FIFA in front of like 4,000 people. So obviously they thought I was staying in for the night, but unlucky for them, I went out.”
The plan was brilliant in its simplicity: livestream himself playing FIFA on TikTok to thousands of viewers, making any paparazzi watching believe he was settled in for a quiet night at home. Meanwhile, his dad became the unwitting decoy.
“Actually caught my dad going to the chippy instead of me going bowling,” Littler later laughed, referring to how the paparazzi apparently followed his father to the chip shop while Luke himself managed to slip out unnoticed to go bowling with friends.
The ruse worked perfectly. While photographers staked out his house and followed his dad on a fish-and-chips run, the birthday boy was enjoying tenpin bowling with his mates—exactly the kind of normal teenage activity that his fame was threatening to make impossible.
A Chippy Tea and FIFA: The Perfect Decoy
Before executing his escape, Littler had enjoyed a “traditional chippy tea” with his family—a departure from the kebab takeaway he’d become famous for during the 2024 World Championship.
The FIFA livestream was the masterstroke, however. With 4,000 people watching him play on TikTok, anyone monitoring his social media would naturally assume he was planted on the sofa for the evening. It created the perfect window of opportunity.
“Busy few days back home and wanna say a massive thank you for all the birthday messages,” Littler tweeted the following day, clearly delighted with how he’d managed to celebrate like a normal 18-year-old despite his rapidly growing celebrity.
Early 19th Birthday Celebrations: ‘A Few Scoops’
This year’s birthday celebrations actually began before the Saudi Arabia tournament even started. Between his disappointing quarter-final exit in Bahrain and the start of the Saudi event, Littler enjoyed some early birthday drinks with family and friends.
Footage shared by ITV darts commentator Mark Wilson showed Littler partaking in “a few scoops” surrounded by loved ones—a slightly premature celebration given his actual birthday was still a day away, but understandable given his tournament schedule.
The early drinks session came after his 21-match winning streak ended with a 6-2 defeat to Gerwyn Price in Bahrain. Rather than dwelling on the loss, Littler chose to mark his impending birthday with those closest to him before heading to Riyadh to compete again.
“I will celebrate my birthday now,” Littler confirmed after the Saudi final. The plan: three days in Dubai with Faith and family before returning to competitive action.
Dubai: A More Glamorous Celebration
While last year’s birthday involved tricking paparazzi to go bowling, this year’s plans are decidedly more upmarket. Dubai offers luxury, sunshine, and—crucially—a break from the relentless darts calendar.
The three-day trip with girlfriend Faith Millar, 19, represents quality time away from the oche. Faith has become a regular presence at Littler’s tournaments throughout 2025, supporting him through victories and defeats alike.
The relationship went public in July 2025 when the couple shared a kiss before his World Matchplay quarter-final in Blackpool. Since then, Faith has traveled with him to tournaments across the globe, including the US Darts Masters in New York and the Australian Darts Masters.
“She’s a lovely lady, Faith,” Littler has said. “It was just what I needed.”
For his 19th birthday, having Faith and family with him in Dubai provides the perfect balance—celebrity-level celebration with the people who keep him grounded.
The Price of Fame at 19
The paparazzi trick story from last year highlights a challenge that few 19-year-olds face: how to maintain any semblance of normal life when you’re one of the most recognizable sports stars in Britain.
Littler’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric. From unknown teenage hopeful at the 2024 World Championship to back-to-back world champion, £20 million Target Darts deal, and household name status—all before his 19th birthday.
With that fame comes constant attention. Photographers follow his movements. His social media posts are scrutinized. His girlfriend receives online abuse simply for dating him. Even a trip to the bowling alley requires military-style planning to avoid being photographed.
Last year’s FIFA livestream trick showed remarkable awareness for an 18-year-old. This year’s more relaxed approach—publicly announcing his Dubai plans—perhaps suggests he’s becoming more comfortable with the spotlight, or at least resigned to its inevitability.
From Bowling to Dubai: How Things Have Changed
The contrast between his 18th and 19th birthday celebrations tells the story of Littler’s transformation over the past year.
Last January, he was trying to sneak out for bowling with school friends while paparazzi staked out his house. This January, he’s jetting to Dubai after winning £30,000 in Saudi Arabia, with a girlfriend by his side and £20 million in the bank.
Last year, a chippy tea and a few frames of bowling constituted a celebration. This year, it’s three days in one of the world’s most luxurious cities.
Yet despite the upgraded surroundings, the core remains the same: Littler just wants to spend time with the people he cares about, away from the cameras and the crowds.
The FIFA Tradition Continues
One constant between last year and this year: FIFA remains central to Littler’s life away from darts. The video game that served as his paparazzi decoy in 2025 continues to be his primary form of relaxation.
He’s spoken openly about his love of FIFA (now EA FC), even livestreaming gameplay sessions and partnering with Xbox for promotional content. The 18th birthday TikTok stream wasn’t just a clever ruse—it was genuinely how he wanted to spend part of his birthday.
“Before that I was on TikTok playing my FIFA in front of like 4,000 people,” he recalled, making it clear the livestream served dual purposes: entertaining fans and misleading photographers.
Whether he’ll be packing his console for Dubai remains to be seen, though it wouldn’t be surprising if a few FIFA sessions featured in the three-day break.
What’s Next After Dubai?
The birthday break in Dubai represents a brief pause before the darts calendar kicks into high gear again. Littler faces a packed schedule in the coming weeks and months, with the Winmau World Masters at the end of January followed by the Premier League starting on February 5.
The Premier League, in particular, represents a major commitment—17 weeks of competition against the world’s best players, with every match broadcast live on Sky Sports. Littler will face Michael van Gerwen, Gian van Veen, Luke Humphries, and other top stars in what promises to be his most sustained competitive challenge yet.
He’ll also be defending his World Series titles throughout the year, with events scheduled across the globe. The Saudi Arabia Masters was just the second stop on a tour that will take him to multiple continents.
But for now—for three days at least—none of that matters. The world’s best darts player can be a 19-year-old enjoying his birthday in Dubai with his girlfriend and family.
The Human Side of a Darts Phenomenon
The paparazzi trick story and this year’s birthday plans reveal something important about Luke Littler: behind the record-breaking performances and multi-million-pound deals, there’s still a teenager trying to enjoy normal experiences.
Last year, that meant outfoxing photographers to go bowling. This year, it means a few days in Dubai. Next year, who knows? But whatever he does, you can bet Littler will approach it with the same mixture of cunning and determination that he brings to the oche.
“Surely they know that I’m going to go out, but obviously before that I was on TikTok playing my FIFA in front of like 4,000 people. So obviously they thought I was staying in for the night, but unlucky for them, I went out.”
That quote—delivered with typical Littler deadpan humor—captures perfectly how he’s navigating fame: with intelligence, a sense of fun, and an absolute determination not to let celebrity status rob him of the teenage experiences everyone deserves.
A Birthday to Remember
As Luke Littler turns 19, he does so as:
- Two-time PDC World Champion
- World number one
- Holder of 23 PDC titles including 10 majors
- Winner of the inaugural Saudi Arabia Darts Masters
- Subject of a £20 million sponsorship deal
- One half of darts’ most talked-about relationship
But he’s also:
- A teenager who loves FIFA
- Someone who enjoys bowling with friends
- A lad who appreciates a good chippy tea
- Smart enough to trick paparazzi with a TikTok livestream
That combination—superstar and normal teenager—is what makes Luke Littler’s story so compelling. And as he celebrates his 19th birthday in Dubai, having just won another title and outsmarted photographers a year earlier, one thing is clear:
Whether it’s on the oche or dealing with paparazzi, Luke Littler always has a plan.
And it usually works.
Happy 19th birthday, Luke. Here’s to many more—with or without the paparazzi tricks.
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