Luke Littler’s Heart-Stopping Near-Miss: Bullseye Heartbreak Denies 9-Darter in World Grand Prix Final

Luke Littler’s Heart-Stopping Near-Miss: Bullseye Heartbreak Denies 9-Darter in World Grand Prix Final

Luke Littler came agonizingly close to darts immortality in the 2025 BoyleSports World Grand Prix final against Luke Humphries on October 12, missing the bullseye for a nine-darter that would have been only the second in the tournament’s history. The 18-year-old world No. 2, who clinched a 6-3 victory (3-0, 3-1, 2-3, 3-1, 3-2, 1-3, 3-1, 2-3, 3-0) at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena to claim the £120,000 title, electrified the 3,000-strong crowd in Set 3, Leg 2, by nailing two 180s and a T20, T19 setup, only for his bullseye dart to clip the wire and land in the single 25. The near-miss, met with a sheepish grin and a head shake from Littler, drew gasps and roars, with girlfriend Faith Millar leaping in the stands and Humphries clapping in awe. Despite the heartbreak, Littler’s 102.15 average, 10 180s, and clutch 121 finish on D18 secured his fourth major of 2025, cementing his legend.

The Near-Perfect Leg: A Bullseye That Got Away
With Littler leading 2-0 in sets and 1-0 in legs, the second leg of Set 3 saw him unleash a masterclass in the double-in/double-out format. Starting with a D20, he fired two perfect 180s (T20, T20, T20), leaving 141 after six darts. His seventh (T20) and eighth (T19) darts set up a bullseye finish for the nine-darter—a feat achieved only once in Grand Prix history by Brendan Dolan in 2011. As the crowd chanted “Bunting mental!”, Littler’s bullseye attempt grazed the wire, landing in the single 25 for a 10-darter instead. “I thought it was in—my heart stopped!” Littler told Sky Sports, laughing off the miss. “The crowd carried me through; I just kept going.”

Humphries, the world No. 1, was stunned: “I was praying he’d miss, but what a moment—Luke’s unreal,” he said, clapping from the oche. The clip exploded on X under #Littler9Darter, racking up 3.5 million views: “Bullseye heartbreak, but Nuke’s still a king!” The miss didn’t derail Littler, who won the leg with a 95 checkout and took Set 3 (2-3), maintaining his untouchable 11-0 record on throw legs.

The Final: Littler’s Dominance Over Humphries
Littler’s path to the £120,000 title—his first Grand Prix crown—was relentless: A 2-0 opener over Gian van Veen (105.58 average), a 3-0 rout of Mike De Decker, a 3-2 comeback against Gerwyn Price (154 checkout), and a 5-1 semifinal demolition of Jonny Clayton. Against Humphries, he started with a 151 checkout, reeled off Sets 1 and 2 (3-0, 3-1), and sealed the 6-3 win with a 13-dart leg, averaging 102.15 to Humphries’ 99.87. His 10 180s and 75% double-in rate (12/16) outshone Humphries’ seven 180s and 135 break, evening their major finals record at 3-3.

Faith Millar’s wild celebration—hugging Littler’s parents Lisa and Anthony Buckley—went viral (1.2M views). “Faith’s my rock—she keeps me grounded,” Littler said, dedicating the win to his girlfriend of nine months.

The Bigger Picture: Littler’s £2M+ Empire
The £120,000 prize, plus £47,500 from earlier rounds, lifts Littler’s 2025 earnings to £1.67M (Worlds £500,000, Premier League £275,000, Matchplay £200,000), pushing his career total past £2 million and net worth to £2.5M+ with endorsements (Target Darts, boohooMAN). His PCOM jumps to 42nd (£181,500), narrowing the gap to Humphries’ £1.68M Order of Merit lead. “I’m on my own now—family and Faith keep the fire lit,” Littler said post-ZXF split.

| Player | Average | 180s | Key Moment | Outcome |
|——–|———|——|————|———|
| Luke Littler | 102.15 | 10 | Missed 9-darter (bullseye); 151, 121 finishes | Winner (6-3) |
| Luke Humphries | 99.87 | 7 | 135 break | Runner-up |

Fan Frenzy: “Nuke’s Near-Miss Is Still Iconic”
X erupted under #Littler9Darter: “Bullseye miss but £120k win? Luke’s untouchable!” (2M likes). Wayne Mardle called it “darts’ most electric near-miss since MvG’s 2016.” As Littler eyes the US Darts Masters (October 17-19), his bullseye heartbreak only fuels the legend: The Nuke’s rewriting history, one dart at a time.