Luke Littler has dismissed as “crazy” predictions that he could be bigger than Phil Taylor.

The teenager has not only taken the darts world by storm but become a household name since his stunning run to the final of the World Championship as a 16-year-old in January.

Such has been his impact that Michael Smith, the current world number three, recently claimed Littler could go on to achieve even greater things than record 16-time world champion Taylor.

Littler, who turned 17 shortly after his headline-grabbing heroics at Alexandra Palace, told the PA news agency: “I don’t think anyone’s beating that record! It’s just crazy, crazy to think of me being bigger than Phil.

“I’ve said to many people I’ve not really set any goals. I just get on with it. I just have to throw my darts and see where they go.

“I’m still gobsmacked that I’m here, getting all these opportunities. I’m just taking it in my stride as I do.”

Littler has proved his World Championship performance was no flash in the pan, throwing nine-dart finishes on the way to tournament victories at the Bahrain Masters and Players Championship in Wigan.

He also now has a PDC tour card, a place in the Premier League and has risen to 30th in the world rankings.

The Warrington-based youngster has coped impressively with his whirlwind introduction to the sport at the elite level and is relishing competing against the best.

“I just love playing in front of a crowd,” said Littler, who signed a new multi-year partnership with Target Darts on Wednesday.

“I enjoy trying my best to put on a performance and I know I can play against the best. I’ve broken into the top 32, so hopefully I’m here for many years to come.”

Littler’s agreement with Target coincides with the launch of a new range of “The Nuke” products by the company, including darts sets designed, at affordable prices, for players new to the game.

Littler recognises the effect he has had on darts at grassroots level and hopes he can continue to encourage new people to take up the sport.

He said: “It’s just been crazy how many people have got into darts, and how many people have been in my local shop in St Helens. There’s been queues outside.

“I’m just glad to be a part of it all. Hopefully it gets more people involved.”

:: Luke Littler’s new “The Nuke” range, including his 2024 World Darts Championship Playing Shirt, is available to buy now at www.targetdarts.co.uk

Michael Smith insisted Luke Littler’s popularity is “even bigger than Phil Taylor” after denying the 17-year-old darts sensation a shot at victory on his Premier League debut.

Smith edged out Littler 6-5 in a high-quality semi-final before going on to beat home favourite Gerwyn Price and silence a capacity Cardiff crowd.

“I actually thought in the semi-final Luke Littler was Welsh,” said Smith, the 2023 world champion.

“It’s going to be every week, it doesn’t matter where it is.

“Everyone’s fallen in love with him. He’s even bigger than Phil Taylor who won 16 world titles, Luke is the most popular thing in darts.”

He continued: “I’m going to ride the wave. People keep following, sponsors keep coming in, and the prize money is going up for us lads.

“When I walked in this afternoon there were no interviews.

“Luke Littler walked in and it was ‘can you do this one, can you do that one?’.

“That was me last year. This time I got to sit and chill, break up my time on the board and it worked.”

Smith beat seven-time Premier League champion Michael van Gerwen 6-5 in his opening match on the way to lifting a trophy for the first time since last April.

The St Helens thrower had to deal with unsportsmanlike whistling from some unruly individuals among the crowd.

Smith said: “I enjoyed the crowd apart from one or two individuals.

“I’m not going to say the crowd was disgusting because it was only two or three people, the other three or four thousand were amazing.

“Luckily enough it did not put me off, it’s expected. You know you’re going to expect some stick and some boos, especially playing Gezzy here.

“Whistling is not the best, but it happens in any sport. How do you stop it? It happens and it’s up to the sportsperson to get on with the job.

“Going top of the league after week one is a message to myself. I’m happy to win and there’s a few chinks in there, but to get five points on the opening night and a 10 grand cheque is always nice.”

Littler had earlier avenged his World Championship final defeat by Luke Humphries four weeks ago with a 6-2 quarter-final win.

He averaged 100.30 in that match and 105.31 in a ding-dong affair with Smith.

Littler hit six 180s in the semi-final, but a missed match dart on double 15 cost him dear as Smith capitalised.

A comfortable win over Price – who had earlier taken out Nathan Aspinall and Rob Cross – put Smith top of the embryonic table ahead of week two in Berlin next Thursday.

Phil Taylor was crowned world champion for the 11th time on this day in 2004 after edging Kevin Painter in one of the greatest finals ever.

‘The Power’ held his nerve under extreme pressure to nail double five for a famous sudden-death win in Purfleet.

Taylor was on the receiving end 12 months earlier when John Part nicked a superb contest 7-6 – but he hit back in a final which even eclipsed that event.

With the score tied at 6-6 in sets and 5-5 in legs, Taylor punched the air with delight when the winning dart landed.

“I am a very lucky man, to be honest,” Taylor said. “Kevin out-played me on doubles, but he eventually let me in. I thought Kevin was the better player.

“Last year was a good final, but this is one of the best. I was not firing on all cylinders and he frightened the life out of me. He will pick his chin up and come back from this.”

A distraught Painter, who was 4-1 ahead at one point, said: “I just did not quite get there in the end – but what can you say? I gave it my best shot.

“I was playing well, but not getting carried away. When playing Phil, you never really feel comfortable.

“I gave it my best go and maybe I will come back next year.”

It was to be the only world final Painter reached. Taylor went on to claim the title 16 times.

Referee Russ Bray is proud of his tag as the ‘voice of darts’ as he gets ready to call his last World Championship final on Wednesday.

The 66-year-old has become one of the most imitated people in sport due to the trademark way he bellows ‘180’ every time a player hits a maximum in his gruff and booming voice, while his ‘game on’ to mark the start of play is also instantly recognisable.

He will take charge of his 28th and last final on Wednesday night before heading into semi-retirement, also taking up a role as an ambassador for the Professional Darts Corporation.

And he could be calling a momentous occasion if teenage sensation Luke Littler can continue his bid to become the youngest-ever world champion on Tuesday night.

Bray, who became a referee in 1996, has been a central figure in the sport as it has catapulted into the mainstream over the last 15 years.

He cannot walk down the street without someone shouting one of his catchphrases at him, but embraces the attention.

“It is a lovely feeling that people put a tag on you like the ‘voice of darts’,” he told the PA news agency.

“I have been very, very lucky because my voice has been so different so it makes it obvious.

“People walk down the street and shout ‘game on’ or ‘180’ and it’s lovely.

“It’s good, for someone to do that means they are recognising what you do and I take it as a compliment.

“My calls part of the game. Every referee says game on and every referee says 180. It’s just that mine has been recognised by everyone.

“You try to make a game as exciting as you can. My calls are all natural, nobody told me to do it like that, I just wanted to be different.

“It is a spectacle and to be part of that is very important.”

Bray has been standing beside the oche for many of the most memorable moments over the last 25 years and he has seen the sport change from a pub game watched by enthusiasts into a global phenomenon.

He refereed the famous World Championship final between Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld in 2007 and lists it as his personal highlight.

“The Barney-Taylor final at the Circus Tavern, it was the last one there,” he remembers.

“It went to a sudden-death leg and Raymond hitting the bull, then Phil hits a 180 and Raymond follows with a 180 and takes out tops. That was very, very special.

“When I started you had one winner and that was Phil, he was the one who dominated for so many years.

“You come to this tournament here and there could be several winners.

“Now you could have a dozen winners that could take the title. In those days you only had one, so that is what makes it so good.

“I am going to finish at the very top, there is nothing bigger than calling the final of the World Championship on the Ally Pally stage, to finish there will be pretty nice.”

Rob Cross believes he is playing the best darts since his 2018 title as he targets another World Championship crown.

Cross announced himself in style five years ago as he stunned Phil Taylor in the final to become world champion in his maiden outing at Alexandra Palace.

He has not been able to reach the same heights since, as he suffered a self-diagnosed “low period”, but he is looking back to his best in 2023, getting to two major finals.

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Although the silverware has eluded him, he thinks he is in the best shape he has ever been to claim a second title.

“It is the pinnacle of the game, when you win it you realise that,” Cross told the PA news agency.

“For me to win it again, I couldn’t put it into words. It’s that big. After winning it before, to lift it again would just mean everything really. This is the tournament when people look back and say how many World Championships did this guy win. It would mean everything for me.

“I would always like to win more, we are all pretty greedy and want to win. You can’t win them all.

“I’ve probably had a low period for 18 months and two years, so I could have done better there. But the way I have played this year, my performances seem to be getting better and I am in a better place than I was a couple of years ago.

“I am enjoying the game more and looking forward to it. This year for consistency I suppose and what I have achieved, I have played some really good darts.

“Performances are better, I believe I have played the best I have played since winning the worlds, since 2018 this is the most consistent.”

The 33-year-old Englishman would have had a major title to show for his form this year had he not run into an unstoppable Luke Humphries at the Grand Slam of Darts last month.

Humphries, 28, has also won the World Grand Prix and the Players Championship and will head to Alexandra Palace as the favourite.

Cross said: “I think he is favourite overall. Luke is very wise and is definitely up there with the best in the world.

“He will take everything in his stride, he is a great guy. He is calm and collected, I can’t see him going in there and panicking. He is playing too well. Whoever is going to beat him will have to play well.”

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This year’s tournament will see sponsors Paddy Power donate £1,000 to Prostate Cancer UK every time a 180 is thrown, and with over 900 thrown last year, Cross reckons 1,000 will be reachable.

“For me this campaign is just thrilling for everyone and the support you can give for such a good charity,” he added.

“We will try and hit as many 180s as we can, we always do. It usually goes up every year so it will be exciting if we can get up to 1,000, which would be a £1million.

“In this case I don’t think there is the awareness of it, one in eight men will suffer from prostate cancer. It will be great to get that reach out, it is a great cause.”