Grand Slam of Darts 2025 | Luke Littler averages 100+ to sink Luke Humphries and defend the Eric Bristow Trophy

Luke Littler has defended his crown at the Grand Slam of Darts, averaging more than 100 to surge past his arch-rival Luke Humphries 16-11 and win the Eric Bristow Trophy for the second time in his career.

The world champion and new world number one produced three separate bursts of at least six perfect darts, repeatedly threatening a nine-darter on the sport’s biggest November stage. While he never quite found the perfect leg, the volume of chances said everything about the level he operated at. Humphries played his part in a superb final, but he was always chasing a Littler who refused to slow down across the final two sessions.

Littler set out his stall instantly, opening the match with a 12-darter and doubling his lead with a crisp 68 finish for the first break of throw. Humphries, who had hit a nine-darter and three 10-dart legs earlier in the week, responded in kind. After kicking off leg three with a maximum, he produced yet another 10-darter to break back, before levelling on double 10 in leg four.

A frantic exchange before the first interval saw Littler miss multiple darts to hold throw, and Humphries punished with a 100 finish to edge 3–2 in front. The second session continued in the same vein, with both players peppering the treble 20 and creating chances. Humphries stretched to 4–2, but Littler stopped the run, levelled at 4–4 after capitalising on more missed doubles, and then moved 5–4 ahead with his third leg in a row.

Humphries held his nerve at 5–5, producing a vital 112 checkout just before the interval after Littler missed two darts for the break.

Humphries looked to be asserting himself at 6–5 and then 7–5, cleaning up 94 and then double 11 to back up a break of throw. But Littler steadied himself with an 81 checkout, stopping the slide before reaching the third interval with a crucial 12-darter to trail 8–7 but stay locked in the contest.

The world champion came flying out of the break, levelling instantly with a spectacular 167 checkout before taking out 66 to restore the lead at 9–8. Humphries produced a brilliant 150 set-up and a 13-darter to level at 9–9, but what followed became the turning point of the final.

Humphries wired the bull for a showpiece 170 with Littler not on a finish, but made a mess of the 25 cleanup on return. Littler punished ruthlessly, nailing a stunning 160 checkout and roaring to the rafters as he surged 11–9 ahead.

From that moment, Littler tightened his grip. A clinical 79 finish pushed him three clear at 12–9 before Humphries briefly stopped the charge with a hold of throw. Littler immediately returned with seven perfect darts, missing treble 17 by millimetres, but still claiming the leg to move 14–10 ahead.

At 14–10, Humphries went agonisingly close again with a double-double 131, but Littler cleaned up 79 to move within two of glory. A leg later, after four missed darts at double, Littler was given another opportunity when Humphries faltered, and he didn’t let him off twice, stretching to 15–10.

Humphries delayed the inevitable by polishing off 25 to stay alive at 15–11, but the defending champion wasn’t in the mood to let the final drift. Once more he opened with heavy scoring, once more he created daylight on the scoreboard, and this time he closed the show with a composed 13-dart leg to claim the title for the second successive year.

The final delivered on its billing: two world-class players, dozens of 180s, three separate flirtations with a nine-darter and a contest that swung wildly until Littler’s late surge broke it open.

But when the dust settled, it was Littler – still only 18 – who produced the bigger moments, the cleaner finishing, the louder roars and the decisive punches that now make him a two-time Grand Slam champion.