Luke Littler wins second straight World Darts Championship

Luke Littler has won his second straight World Darts Championship, triumphing over Dutchman Gian van Veen.

Littler, 18, lost the first set at Alexandra Palace but roared back with seven straight sets to win the coveted title in back-to-back years.

It was the teenager’s third final in a row, having lost to Luke Humphries in 2024 when he was just 16 years old.

Littler, nicknamed ‘the Nuke’, lost just four sets across the whole tournament in an utterly dominant display over the festive period.

Littler, quoting two-time world champion boxer Anthony Joshua, said: “The first time was so nice, I had to do it twice.”

The win means the 18-year-old becomes just the fourth back-to-back champion alongside Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson. He is also the first man to retain his Ally Pally title since Anderson a decade ago.

As a player who has lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy twice in just three attempts, he extends his advantage as world number one after making a groundbreaking impact on the sport.

He is also the first winner of the £1m prize pot awarded to the victor.

Van Veen becomes the new world number three, despite falling just short in his quest to follow in the footsteps of countrymen Raymond van Barneveld and Michael van Gerwen by winning the World Championship.

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