"Last year I probably earned £30,000 from it" - Russ Bray sees profits sky-rocket from darts app after rise of Luke Littler

Darts icon Russ Bray is enjoying continued success even after stepping down as a referee for major PDC tournaments a year and a half ago. The 67-year-old has made an impressive £30,000 in a single year through his mobile app — a surprising payday, largely fuelled by the rise of teenage sensation Luke Littler.

Bray, who’s been a PDC referee since the 1990s, became a cult figure in the sport thanks to his unmistakable gravelly voice. Now, that voice is proving just as valuable in the digital world.

“A guy got hold of me from up north and asked if he could do a Russ Bray darts app," Bray told The Times. “I said: ‘How much is it going to cost me?’ He said: ‘Nothing. All you’ve got to do is record names and numbers.'”

What started as a simple collaboration quickly turned into a bullseye. The app, which lets users simulate official darts matches with Bray's voice calling the scores, became one of the most downloaded darts apps in the App Store.

“I make £12-13,000 a year from that on average," Bray explains. “And when you talk about the Luke Littler effect, last year I probably earned £30,000 from it. Luke Littler has brought darts to the fore.”

Littler’s meteoric rise has sparked a youth explosion in darts, leading to more TV viewers, sold-out arenas, and soaring interest on social media — and Bray is riding that wave.

The former referee hasn’t stopped there. He’s also active on the personalized video platform Cameo, where fans can buy custom messages for birthdays, tournaments, or just for fun.

“I get £37.50 per 30-second Cameo advert and have done £18,000’s worth," he concludes. “If it’s Mavis to Bert, wishing him a happy 50th birthday, I say: ‘Hello Bert, Russ Bray here. Mavis wants to wish you a happy 50th birthday.’ And I tell him to have a wonderful time on the day and good luck.”