Luke Littler begins World Darts Championship title defence
Luke Littler begins his World Darts Championship title defence on Thursday evening, taking on Lithuania’s Darius Labanauskas at Alexandra Palace with a historic £1million winner’s prize up for grabs, reports BritPanorama.
The 18-year-old sensation, who made history as the youngest ever champion when he lifted the Sid Waddell trophy in January, has issued a forceful four-word message to any opponents hoping to distract him with psychological tactics: “You can’t rattle me.”
As the overwhelming favourite to claim darts’ first seven-figure prize, Littler approaches the tournament with confidence. His rivals have previously attempted to unsettle him; at last month’s Players Championship finals in Minehead, Germany’s Ricardo Pietreczko and Nathan Aspinall both employed gamesmanship tactics against him.
Littler earlier recounted how Pietreczko taunted him during their match, expressing that he only expected to win a single leg while they were level at 5-5. “No one can get in my head because if you say something to me, I’ll block it out and I’ll just get on with my job,” Littler declared.
During a tense backstage moment against Aspinall, the latter jokingly remarked, “I only expected to get one leg, I’ve got four on you.” The psychological games have not phased Littler, who responded to Pietreczko’s taunt with a stunning 121 checkout before securing victory in that match.
2025 has been a remarkable year for the Warrington star, with Littler dominating the sport and securing six major television titles, including the UK Open, World Matchplay, Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts, and Players Championship. His impressive form has allowed him to overtake Luke Humphries to become world number one, drawing comparisons with legendary figures such as Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen.
The introduction of the £1million prize marks a significant milestone for the sport of darts, although it still lags behind tennis’s £3 million Wimbledon pot and golf’s £2.3 million Open Championship reward. Littler, who recently passed his driving test, remains grounded despite the financial stakes. “I won’t showboat if there’s £1m on the line – that’s a bit different. But I think I can get better and better,” he stated.
Littler faces several dangerous contenders in his quest for victory, including Humphries, who defeated him in the final two years ago. Gian van Veen, Gerwyn Price, and Josh Rock are also among those capable of causing an upset during the championship.
As darts fans eagerly await the action, Littler’s journey serves as a vivid reminder of how pressure-packed moments define not just the sport, but also its stars.
