Luke Littler warned that his continued success may make him unpopular: ''Everyone wants that success''

Luke Littler has been warned that his sustained success may not make him popular among his fellow players. The teenage sensation, who became world champion at just 18 years old, has propelled the popularity of the sport to new heights. His arrival on the circuit has attracted a fresh audience to darts.

Since his breakthrough as a 16-year-old at the 2024 World Championship, Littler has been in the spotlight constantly. His rapid rise to the top has created tensions among his competitors, and the young star acknowledges that his rivalry with fellow darts players is intensifying.

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Last month at Alexandra Palace, Littler admitted that he feels an underlying hostility from other players. “It’s definitely not to my face. Not as soon as I walk in, but whenever I’m practising, I can just feel that tension. And I just laugh at it,'' he revealed.

Former world champion and darts legend Dennis Priestley has spoken out on the situation, warning that jealousy will only grow as Littler and world number one Luke Humphries continue to dominate the sport.

“Luke Littler or Luke Humphries are the best two players in the world,” Priestley told OLBG. ''“But that can all change quickly. When you do have one or two players dominating the sport you do start to get disliked by other players because they want that success – they’ll just get more and more determined to beat you.”

Both Littler and Humphries expressed frustration over the crowd’s behavior during last week’s Premier League event in Glasgow. Some spectators whistled and jeered while players were preparing to throw, causing disruptions during crucial matches.

Priestley believes swift action is needed to prevent similar incidents in the future. “The PDC need to spot the culprits and start ejecting them immediately to send out a message'', said 'The Menace'.

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