"You don’t get many days off" - Luke Littler reveals tough reality behind darts domination

Luke Littler has admitted that keeping on top of his intense playing schedule is one of the biggest challenges in his meteoric rise to the top of world darts.

The 18-year-old sensation recently added another major title to his already glittering CV by winning the World Matchplay for the first time, beating James Wade 18–13 in the final. That victory saw him complete the sport’s prestigious Triple Crown — the World Championship, Premier League, and World Matchplay — all before his 19th birthday.

Since exploding onto the scene as a 16-year-old at the 2024 World Championship, Littler has also won the Grand Slam of Darts and the UK Open. He’s completed two full Premier League campaigns — winning one and finishing runner-up in the other — while navigating a relentless calendar that often includes weekend European Tour events on the back of Thursday night fixtures.

To cope with the demands, Littler says he has to be smart about when to rest and recover. “I pull out of tournaments to give me two free days off because it can be tough, especially when the Premier League’s on,” he told Mirror Sport. “You don’t get many days off from February up until May. It’s just about managing the schedule and not overdoing it. At the start of the year, me and my manager put everything in the calendar so we know what’s coming."

“So if I’m worn out or tired from a Euro Tour — you come back on a Sunday, then there’s Pro Tours on Monday, Tuesday — you’re not going to do them," Littler continues. "It’s all about managing the schedule, focusing on yourself and not tiring yourself out.”

That kind of careful planning has become essential, with physical and mental fatigue a real risk for the teenage star amid the demands of top-level competition and regular travel.

In between his playing commitments, Littler is also juggling the growing pressure of media appearances and commercial obligations — which leave little time to reflect on just how much he’s already achieved.

“There’s not enough time to sit back and look at what I’ve done,” he said. “When I’ve got a week off, I don’t want to be sat down analysing what I’ve done in the past. I know what I’ve done, I can see the trophies in my living room. It’s about living in the moment.”

This week, Littler is in Australia and New Zealand for the next leg of the World Series, which wraps up in September with the Finals in Amsterdam. After that, the focus turns to a jam-packed autumn of major televised tournaments in the build-up to the World Championship, which begins on December 11.

And while he’s already conquered much of the sport, Littler is hungry for more silverware. “Everyone wants to win the majors before the Worlds,” he said. “I want to go back-to-back in the Grand Slam and do well at the Grand Prix.”