Luke Littler given 'come at a cost' warning if he wins £275k payday at Premier League Darts

Luke Littler's dazzling debut in the Premier League might come at a cost for the young darts sensation, ex-Premier League winner James Wade has warned.

He believes that the 17-year-old should have been omitted from the annual darting roadshow, despite his incredible run to the final of the World Championship. Littler and his team seized the opportunity to participate in the eight-player tournament, which kicked off in early February and wraps up tonight (Thursday) with the play-offs at London's O2, where a record-breaking crowd of 14,000 is expected.

The Warrington thrower is set to face Michael Smith in the semi-finals after topping the league phase by an impressive eight points. World champion Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen will compete in the other semi-final, with the ultimate winner taking home £275,000.

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While the Premier League is a profitable tournament, with each nightly winner bagging a £10,000 bonus, it also presents a gruelling schedule, running concurrently with European Tour and Players Championship events.

Keeping this in mind, Wade suggests believes Manchester United fan Littler should have been given a year off to refine his skills in less high-profile tournaments. In his Daily Star column this year, he expressed concerns that the demanding schedule could have long-term effects.

He stated: "In truth, that's what probably should have happened to Luke Littler. A huge tournament in the limelight should have been followed by a year of keeping his head down, picking up