Darts sensation Luke Littler, aged 18, has been crowned the World Grand Prix champion after an emphatic 6-1 victory over rival Luke Humphries in the final held in Leicester. Littler, known as "The Nuke," demonstrated his brilliant form throughout the tournament, even coming close to a nine-darter in the third set, which he narrowly missed. For his dominant performance, Littler secured a significant cheque for £120,000, while Humphries, despite struggling with checkouts, pocketed £60,000.

Immediately following his major win, Littler made a surprising announcement: he would head to Wigan, just 15 miles from his hometown of Warrington, to compete in the World Youth Championship on Monday morning. He stated his intention to "just have a bit of fun" and "see everyone," acknowledging that "I don't think anyone is going to be my friend tomorrow." Players are required to sign in by 11 am for the event's preliminary rounds, which will take place at Wigan's Robin Park.

This decision is particularly noteworthy as Littler had previously claimed during the summer that he would have "quite little to gain" by participating in the youth tournament. However, he now views it as an opportunity to continue playing before a planned weekend off, explaining, "I could’ve taken a day off, but why not play the World Youth and the two Pro Tours in Wigan? Then I’ll finally have the weekend off." Littler is no stranger to the event, having won the Youth tournament two years prior by defeating Gian van Veen in the final. Van Veen, 23, went on to win the title himself last year in Littler's absence. The top prize money for the World Youth Championship is £12,000, which is a tenth of Littler's recent Grand Prix winnings, with the two finalists set to face off in the Minehead final on November 23 during the Players Championships.

Fans reacted with amusement and admiration to Littler's unusual move, with one calling it "Elite level s***housery" and another joking, "Those kids gotta learn the hard way." Reflecting on his World Grand Prix triumph, Littler expressed his satisfaction, remarking, "Very happy to tick this off. Not the easiest tournament. This week has been so tough." He also noted his improved strategic play, stating, "I learned at the World Matchplay that I have got to hit the big out shot when Luke puts me under pressure. I couldn’t step off the gas. I am very happy to win." With this latest victory, Littler has significantly closed the gap in the rankings, now trailing Humphries by just £70,000, and sent a clear message: "Luke will now know that I am behind his back – and on to him."