The 'Littlermania' explosion: how Luke Littler set the darts world on fire

Few could have predicted the unprecedented impact Luke Littler would have on the darts world when he entered the professional circuit less than two years ago.

'The Nuke' has since emerged as one of Britain's biggest sports stars, ever since he stunned the world as a 16-year-old with his sensational run to the PDC World Cup final in January 2024.

A record number of more than 4.8 million viewers tuned in for the final in which Littler narrowly lost to Luke Humphries at Alexandra Palace - a match that became the best-watched non-football event ever on Sky Sports.

But that was just the beginning. Since then, darts' popularity has exploded, thanks in part to Littler's infectious flair and undeniable talent. Research by Butlin's Minehead - the regular venue for the UK Open and the Players Championship Finals, among others - found that by 2025, as many as 35 percent of Britons will have become more interested in darts than two years earlier. That amounts to more than 23 million people.

And it's not just fans who have been captivated by "Littlermania. The young world champion is also a source of inspiration for a new generation of darters. There are now more than 50 Junior Darts Corporation (JDC) academies operating in the United Kingdom, and the number of youth participants is growing rapidly.

One of the most recent additions is the Shepperton Junior Darts Academy in Surrey, founded in April. The academy grew out of the initiative of local resident Jane Nash, who was looking for a place where her grandson Toby could play darts with peers.

Volunteers Chris Dines and Billy Shanahan, both active on the club's premier league team, organize two sessions each week: one for children ages 8 to 12 and one for youth ages 13 to 18. Their goal: to create a safe and stimulating environment where youth darters can develop.

Dines toldtalkSPORT how the idea came about: “Jane basically said ‘There's nowhere for kids anywhere to actually go and play darts, there's no youth clubs like there used to be'. And that was how the idea came about - she brought it to me, I had a chat with the committee here, they were happy for us to use the space."

“Myself and Bill went on accreditation day in Bristol, and from there we slowly got it going."

With support from major dart brands such as Winmau and Scolia, who provided equipment, the project was an immediate success “We had an open day where we had just over 30 kids arrive, so that was quite manic, but really really good fun, and myself and Bill just get such enjoyment from doing it.

“It's just so good to see the kids happy, smiling, making friends and doing something they enjoy.

“And I think we're the only one in about the whole of the M25, so it's just a really, really good thing.”

The interest is so great that the academy has never had to promote itself. “We've not advertised for any of this.

"This is all by word of mouth and just initial emails to people that have shown interest.”

After a session in May, Dines said that there is even more of an influx. “We had an influx of about an extra five young kids tonight, an extra two on the older session."

“People are emailing us [asking]: ‘Do you have availability? Is there a waiting list?’

“That's how it's gone, and I think it can only get bigger and bigger as it goes on.”

According to Dines, Luke Littler is the big catalyst behind this revival: “Luke Littler has just done so much for the game. 

“It's got all the kids involved - watching him, seeing how he is, seeing how he's winning, it just makes kids want to go out and do the same thing. So I think just to be able to give them that opportunity to play here, and do it, makes it all worthwhile.”

Former world number one Colin Lloyd, who won two major titles in his 17-year career, is also impressed by the growth the sport has experienced since his retirement in 2015. “Sometimes we were playing in front of like 800, 900 people - and that was for a major event, like the Premier League when it first ever started.

“But now, just on a Euro Tour event, it's a ranked event. They are great events, don't get me wrong, but they're not majors, and you're getting 4,000, and 5,000 people.

“You're getting anything between 8,000 and 10,000 people throughout the day as footfall coming in to watch the darts, to go out - it's madness really.

"When I look back on it, I do sometimes stand there and I think: ‘How did it get this big? Why has it taken off like this?’"

While Lloyd acknowledges that Littler is the main booster, he also points to the exciting rivalries that make modern darts so attractive. "In [Eric] Bristow's time, it was Bristow and [John] Lowe and Jocky Wilson and the likes.

“With Phil Taylor, it was Phil Taylor, Dennis Priestley, Rod Harrington, John Part and the likes. And now we're treated to the fact that it's the two Lukes against each other. 

"I think the game's in a very, very good place at this moment in time, not just because of those two guys, I must reiterate that, because you've still got the likes of Michael van Gerwen still around, you've still got Gerwyn Price around, Rob Cross.”

“But the fact that Luke Littler is doing what he's doing at such a young age, that's what I think has made people sit up and watch and listen, because he's just naturally gifted."