Jonny Clayton full of praise for Luke Humphries: "Best darts player in the world by a mile, he’s so consistent and dominant"

For Jonny Clayton, there is no doubt who is the best darter in the world right now. According to 'the Ferret', himself a former Premier League Darts winner, world champion and world number one Luke Humphries is by far the world's best at this moment in time.

"Luke Humphries is the best darts player in the world by a mile, he’s so consistent and dominant. The two Lukes, Humphries and Luke Littler, have lifted the bar a level higher than anyone else has previously. They have taken it a step further," explains Clayton in conversation with BetVictor.

“Littler has everything in his armoury, his year has been fantastic. His first tournament as a card holder he finished runner-up in the World Championships! Few people can say that," Clayton continues with praise for the 17-year-old Littler. "Their averages are phenomenal, and it raises the level. A lot of other players are producing big averages because they must. If we want to beat these players, we have to raise our level.”

The 50-year-old Welshman thinks the two Lukes rivalry could be set to dominate darts for the foreseeable future. “Their rivalry is the new Phil Taylor vs Michael van Gerwen,” says Clayton. “The final last year between the two Lukes was massive for the game, and this battle between the two of them will rage on for years to come due to their age."

“It’s got everyone talking about the game of darts," he adds. "Everybody is talking about Luke Littler, it’s a massive thing for the sport. I don’t think the game was fading, but it needed something to boost it once again, they have done just that.”

At the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship, Clayton cannot face the two top favourites until the final, as "The Ferret" is in the other half of the draw. As number seven in the world, Clayton has a bye in the first round. On Monday, Dec. 23, he will play the winner of the duel between Mickey Mansell and Tomoya Goto.