“Maybe after four or five years, he will have had enough” – Steve Beaton tips Luke Littler for career away from darts

Darts legend Steve Beaton has made a striking prediction about Luke Littler’s future. According to the former BDO world champion, it is far from certain that the young sensation will have a long career in darts. In fact, Beaton does not rule out that Littler could head in a completely different direction within a few years.

Littler, currently world number one and reigning world champion, is seen at just 19 years old as one of the greatest talents the sport has ever known. His rapid rise and impressive performances have propelled him to the very top in no time. Yet the conversations about his future are not only about titles and records, but also about how long he will stay motivated.

The Englishman has repeatedly said that motivation is the key for him. He wants to win all the major majors before he even thinks about retiring. Remarkably, he is already close to that, despite his PDC career having only just begun. At the same time, Littler also gave a clear hint about his future: once the “fire in his belly” fades, he sees no reason to continue.

Beaton picks up on exactly that point. “It’s early days yet in his career, but he’s such a good player," said the experienced Englishman to Sun Sport. “He just sees all these different ways of throwing. At the end of the day, you can only hit 9, 12 or 15 darts. Sometimes you can be left with a couple of darts in your hand. But he’s very consistent. Okay, he might lose the odd one, but I mean, nobody’s perfect."

According to Beaton, the real question is not Littler’s talent, but his long-term motivation. “It’s going to be interesting to see how long he goes on for,” Beaton ponders. “Maybe after four or five years, he will have had enough.”

That remark will raise eyebrows among many darts fans. After all, Littler is seen as the face of the sport’s future. Yet it is not an entirely unrealistic scenario. The young Englishman has several interests outside darts and appears to be focusing on them more and more.

Littler is an avid gamer and regularly active on streaming platforms. He often plays games like FC (formerly FIFA) and shares those sessions with his followers. He also teams up with well-known content creators such as Angry Ginge, with whom he is frequently seen online. The combination of his talent, popularity, and media presence makes a switch to a career as a streamer or content creator anything but unthinkable.

Notably, Beaton sees this as a way his young compatriot could step away from professional darts within a few years. “Maybe he will want to go gaming, you know. He likes doing all that," says the Bronzed Adonis. "Maybe somebody will approach him to do that or something else."

The comments from both Beaton paint an intriguing picture of Littler’s future. On one hand, there is his unparalleled talent and the possibility of dominating the sport for years. On the other hand, there is the question of whether he can stay motivated in an intense and demanding circuit.