‘One rule for me’ – Luke Littler hits out at tournament organisers in now-deleted angry Instagram post
Luke “The Nuke” Littler, the 18-year-old darts wunderkind who’s already a world champion and Order of Merit No. 2, didn’t hold back after a frustrating double-whammy at the PDC Players Championship events in Wigan. Barred from Wednesday’s Players Championship 33 (PC33) for missing the 11am registration deadline by mere minutes—thanks to heavy traffic from a tragic car incident—he bounced back to play Thursday’s PC34, only to exit in the last 16. But it was his now-deleted Instagram post afterward that lit up the darts world, accusing organisers of blatant double standards and “one rule for one and one for another.”
The Backstory: Traffic Nightmare and a Golden Rule Bite
The saga kicked off on October 29, 2025, when Littler, fresh off his World Grand Prix triumph, hit the road for the Robin Park Leisure Centre in Wigan. En route, he got snarled in chaos caused by a fatal car crash—Littler later expressed sympathies for the victim’s family on social media, noting it had “someone sadly lost their life.” Despite arriving just two minutes past the strict 11am sign-on cutoff, PDC rules are ironclad: miss it, and you’re out. No exceptions for traffic, no mercy for the kid who’s won over £1.5 million this year alone.
Littler posted a breezy update from his car at 11:06am: “Back to bed it is, wonder who they gonna call up 😂,” poking fun at the irony while organisers scrambled for a reserve. It was a light touch for what could’ve been a major setback—Littler had already locked in his spot for November’s £600k Players Championship Finals via his PC32 win earlier in the month. Still, missing a £10k+ event stung, especially with heavyweights like Luke Humphries, Nathan Aspinall, and Raymond van Barneveld in the draw.
The Vent: ‘One Rule for Me’ and the Deleted Post
Fast-forward to October 30: Littler returned for PC34, grinding out wins over Jaimi van der Wijk and Cameron Crabtree before falling 6-5 to Canada’s Matt Campbell in a nail-biter. “Not the best day,” he admitted, but the real heat came in his Instagram story—quickly deleted after going viral. The full rant:
> “Not the best day today but played some decent stuff. But really glad to hear from a few of the other players that people have been let in almost half an hour late for a pro tour but I can’t be two minutes late. Says a lot, one rule for one and one for another.”
Oof. Littler, chatting with fellow pros, learned he’d been the only one stiffed—others had strolled in 25-30 minutes late on Pro Tour days and still thrown. It smacked of favouritism (or at least inconsistency), with fans speculating his rising fame made him a stricter target. The post racked up screenshots and shares before vanishing, sparking a frenzy on X and darts forums: “Nuke calling out the PDC—fair play!” vs. “Rules are rules, kid—toughen up.”
The PDC hasn’t commented publicly, but insiders say the rules apply universally… though enforcement can vary by event or official. Littler’s no stranger to bending the banter bow—recall his Phil Taylor darts shade or Liverpool trolls—but this felt raw, a teen prodigy venting real frustration amid a packed schedule.
Fallout and the Bigger Picture
No formal repercussions for Littler; he’s still the darling of darts, with Humphries scraping into the Finals on the same day via a gritty run. Wessel Nijman nicked the PC34 title, but all eyes are on Littler’s next moves: the World Series Finals in November, then defending his world crown at Ally Pally in December. This blip? Just fuel for the fire—expect sharper throws and spicier stories from The Nuke. If PDC bosses are listening, maybe loosen that registration leash before he drops another bombshell. What’s your take: unfair treatment or just the grind of pro sport?
