Emotional Luke Littler reveals rewatching final heartbreak gave him 'the visions' for World Championship glory

Tearful Luke Littler visualised the dream as he became the King of Darts.

The 17-year-old superstar smashed Michael van Gerwen to win the Paddy Power World Championship. In dumping the Dutchman 7-3, Littler also became the youngster-ever winner of the PDC title. His incredible rise in the game started at the Ally Pally 12 months ago when, as a relatively-unknown boy going into the tournament, he emerged from it as a man and new sporting superstar having made the Final before losing to Luke Humphries.

Since then, he had amassed 10 PDC titles and won over £1million in prize-money and he added another £500,000 to the pot as, this time around the biggest match in the game, he made absolutely no mistake and swept to the Sid Waddell Trophy. Littler revealed he watched the Humphries heartbreaker just before going on stage against Van Gerwen and it gave him “the visions” to triumph.

He cried after the overwhelming win and said: “I can’t believe it. Everyone dreams of lifting this trophy. Since I was a little kid, I have been dreaming of lifting the trophy having watched plenty of Finals over the years, numerous people picking up the trophy.

“Earlier, I watched all of the game back against Luke and I had the visions. I could end 2025 winning nothing else. I want more than 10 titles, but I’ve picked up the best.”

Littler had the weight of history and expectation on his shoulders, but it didn’t matter a jot. The Warrington wonderkid sauntered into a 4-0 lead to leave the Dutchman dazed.

Van Gerwen was hunting a fourth crown, but, despite some fight and a rally to stave off the inevitable, he couldn’t manage to register four sets as he lost his third-successive World Final. Littler stormed over the line to start joyous