Professional Darts Corporation chief executive Matt Porter says it would take “something very special” to move the World Championship away from Alexandra Palace, despite the Luke Littler effect on the sport.
The 17-year-old has thrust darts into the mainstream consciousness following his breakthrough run to the final at Ally Pally over Christmas.
The PDC has reported a huge increase in viewing figures and engagement since Littler’s arrival on the scene and he is set to be the main attraction at the worlds later this year.
But not everyone will get a ticket for the north London venue, which has hosted the tournament since 2008 and is considered the home of the sport, as they sell out in July before even hitting general sale.
Despite the likely demand, the PDC is not considering moving to a bigger venue and are in talks to extend its stay at the 3,200-capacity Ally Pally beyond the 2024/25 edition.
“Ally Pally is an iconic venue, it is a beloved venue,” Porter told the PA news agency.
“The World Darts Championship at Ally Pally at Christmas, those three things go together in the same way Wimbledon, strawberries and cream and the summer fit together.
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“There are certain aspects of major sporting events at venues, which just fit.
“It is a fantastic venue for the event, we bring a lot of infrastructure with us, in terms of the fan village, and not every venue can do that, there is way more to the Ally Pally than the arena where the darts is played.
“But you can never rule out anything going forward because the event is sold out in July even before it goes on general sale.
“It is a phenomenon and it is up to us to maximise the opportunity and the revenue for the players.
“You can’t rule it out but you don’t want to fix what is not broken.
“It is something that is under constant review but it would take something very special for us to leave Ally Pally.”
Littler has changed the landscape of the sport and is already a bigger celebrity than any other player past or present.
He was a guest on the Jonathan Ross Show, featured on the cover of Forbes magazine, appeared on Comic Relief and visited Manchester United’s training ground as his popularity soared.
But he is backing that up with his performances at the oche as he won debut titles in the World Series, Players Championship and European Tour while currently topping the Premier League table.
“These are things that wouldn’t happen to normal 17-year-olds, so for him to be able to deal with them as well as playing in front of thousands of people is testament to his mental strength and maturity,” Porter added.
“Luke has opened up doors to us to a new audience. There is an increase in younger fans, teenage-age and even younger who are now more interested in darts.
“That’s through TikTok and Instagram, or on TV.
“It’s quite refreshing, it is something we hadn’t expected but something we are reacting to quite well.”
Mark Allen registered the second 147 of this year’s Masters as he edged past Mark Selby 6-5 and into the semi-finals.
After losing the first two frames, Allen got off the mark by producing another maximum to add to Ding Junhui’s in the opening round at Alexandra Palace, the third of the Northern Irishman’s career.
Selby subsequently moved 4-1 ahead before Allen claimed four frames in a row, including a break of 103, to take the lead.
After Selby brought things level again, Allen took the final frame to book a semi-final clash with Ali Carter.
Speaking after his match, Allen said: “I don’t know where that maximum came from because it was a really poor performance tonight.
“You never know how a match can change. I was applying myself really well, I just couldn’t find any rhythm and, as the match went on, I grew into it.
“Any win against Mark is a good win, so I’ll take that into tomorrow, but I’ll need to play better.”
Carter earlier knocked out defending champion Judd Trump in another contest that went down to the wire.
Carter was losing 5-4 and facing an exit in the 10th frame only for his opponent to over-cut the matchball red, allowing the 44-year-old to seize his chance and produce a 43 clearance to take it to a decider.
Boosted by that momentum, a break of 64 then saw Carter, who had been 4-2 up, only for Trump to fight back with a break of 129 on his way to winning three frames in succession, through to only his second Masters semi in 13 attempts.
“For all the money, I looked like going 5-3 in front and lost my composure for a couple of frames,” Carter said in his post-match interview.
“I felt like I worked really hard but was delighted to make an unbelievable clearance to force a decider.
“Then how I’ve held myself together there, I don’t know – that’s a feather in my cap.”
The other semi-final sees Ronnie O’Sullivan face Shaun Murphy.
Three-time winner Mark Selby cruised through to the last eight of the Masters with a 6-1 victory over Robert Milkins at Alexandra Palace.
World number five Selby, who won the tournament in 2008, 2010 and 2013, raced into a 4-0 lead and although Milkins briefly stemmed the tide by taking the fifth frame, the result was never in doubt.
Selby produced a 119-break in the second frame of the evening match to assume control and compiled four more frame-winning half-century breaks to seal a convincing win.
The four-time world champion made scores of 70 and 74 in the final two frames to stay on course for a sixth appearance in the Masters final.
Mark Allen had earlier conjured a break of 86 in the final-frame decider to oust John Higgins and advance to the quarter-finals.
A week after 16-year-old Luke Littler thrilled during the World Darts Championship it was two old-timers that were starring at Ally Pally.
Higgins, a two-time champion, looked to be in control as back-to-back 80-plus breaks put him 3-1 up.
But world number three Allen won the next two scrappy frames, thanks to some wayward potting by Higgins to draw level.
The Northern Irishman had to wait until frame seven to make his first half-century break as he took the lead for the first time and then a sumptuous 123 clearance – the best of the match – put him one frame away.
Higgins had been looking beaten for the previous 30 minutes but summoned his renowned fighting spirit to reduce the deficit after winning the tactical battle and then sent it to a decider with a 61 break.
But hopes of a comeback were put to bed as Allen produced his decisive break to set up a last-eight tie with Selby.
He said: “It wasn’t a phenomenal contest, we were both a bit edgy, but any win against John is a good win so I will take it.
“Strangely I didn’t feel too bad in the last frame because 5-3 to 5-5 I didn’t feel like I’d done much wrong.
“I missed two really tricky shots, so I was looking forward to getting a chance and when John missed that long red I was fearing the worst but I got another chance and I made the most of it.”
Mark Allen produced a break of 86 in the final-frame decider to oust John Higgins and advance to the quarter-finals of the Masters.
A week after teenage sensation Luke Littler thrilled during the World Darts Championship it was two old-timers that were starring at Alexandra Palace.
Higgins, a two-time champion, looked to be in control as back-to-back 80-plus breaks put him 3-1 up.
But world number three Allen won the next two scrappy frames, thanks to some wayward potting by Higgins to draw level.
The Northern Irishman had to wait until frame seven to make his first half-century break as he took the lead for the first time and then a sumptuous 123 clearance – the best of the match – put him one frame away.
Higgins had been looking beaten for the previous 30 minutes but summoned his renowned fighting spirit to reduce the deficit after winning the tactical battle and then sent it to a decider with a 61 break.
But hopes of a comeback were put to bed as Allen produced his decisive break to set up a last-eight tie with either Robert Milkins or Mark Selby.
He said: “It wasn’t a phenomenal contest, we were both a bit edgy, but any win against John is a good win so I will take it.
“Strangely I didn’t feel too bad in the last frame because 5-3 to 5-5 I didn’t feel like I’d done much wrong.
“I missed two really tricky shots, so I was looking forward to getting a chance and when John missed that long red I was fearing the worst but I got another chance and I made the most of it.”
Defending Masters champion Judd Trump held his nerve to summon a match-winning break of 65 and beat Kyren Wilson 6-5 in a fluctuating first round clash at Alexandra Palace.
Trump stormed back from a 3-0 deficit to reel off five frames in a row and put himself on the brink of victory before a costly miss in the penultimate frame handed his opponent the initiative.
Wilson looked set to wrap up victory himself when he got in first in the decider but he left a red dangling over the middle pocket on a break of 51 and two-time winner Trump coolly stepped up to book his place in the last eight.
Trump told Eurosport: “It was a bit of a scrappy game and it was nip and tuck the whole way through.
“I felt like I threw it away at 5-4. Kyren made an amazing break to go 5-5 and it looked like he would get over the line but he just left that little gap and I took it quite well.”
Breaks of 65 and 76, as well as a superb clearance of 34 to the pink after Trump’s 58 in frame three, helped Wilson race into a 3-0 lead.
Contributions of 42 and 52 saw Trump finally get on the scoreboard before the mid-session interval and the former world champion then got back on level terms with breaks of 101 and 83.
Trump won the seventh frame to edge in front for the first time and also took the next, a scrappy affair which lasted 40 minutes, to lead 5-3, only for Wilson to edge a tense ninth frame to keep the match alive.
Wilson drew level after a brave long red sparked a frame-winning clearance of 58, but he could not repeat the feat when it mattered enabling Trump to sink the final black to get over the line.
New world champion Luke Humphries was “privileged” to be invited to meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Downing Street.
Humphries is still basking in the glory of his World Championship victory over teenager Luke Littler at Alexandra Palace on Wednesday night and continued an almost 48-hour media tour.
Sunak watched the thrilling match and met the 28-year-old at his residence on Friday afternoon.
Humphries told the PA news agency: “It is a privilege of course, these are not things you get to do every day, it was a privilege to be invited, this is massive for our sport.
“I have got a duty as the flagbearer of darts at the moment.
“We just talked about sport, nothing else really. He wanted to congratulate me on the success, he enjoyed the game and it really is important for figures to be coming in and enjoying our sport.”
Although Humphries lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy to celebrate his rise to world number one in style, it was Littler’s achievements that really made the world sit up and take notice.
The 16-year-old defied his tender years to steamroller his way to the final on debut, gaining an army of support along the way.
He gained celebrity status and transcended the world of darts, while also bringing in record viewing figures for broadcaster Sky Sports.
Humphries wants the new fans to stick around for the whole year, not just the Ally Pally bonanza.
“A lot of people see darts and the World Championship at Christmas and they don’t support afterwards, whereas darts isn’t just for Christmas, it’s forever,” he said.
“Hopefully they stay on board, darts isn’t just exciting in the worlds, it is exciting all year, there is great drama all year. The sport has grown to incredible heights and I hope everyone can stay tuned.”
New world champion Luke Humphries is anticipating an enduring rivalry with Luke Littler in years to come.
Humphries ended Littler’s teenage dream by winning the World Championship at Alexandra Palace on Wednesday night as he celebrated becoming world number one by lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy for the first time.
Littler, 16, was the star of the tournament, though, his time will surely come after showing he can already mix it with the very best in the sport.
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But it is Humphries who is the current king, having won four of the last five major titles, and he expects the two Lukes to be at the top of the pile.
“It is a final I would be very shocked not to see again,” he said. “Not just in world finals, in major finals, we will see that final many, many times over the next 20 years.
“Darts can throw up anything, who knows what talent can come through and all of a sudden be better than us.
“I don’t think we will see a talent as good as Luke at 16 ever again in any sport. Him winning the title would have been the equivalent of a 16-year-old winning the Balon D’Or or a tennis player winning Wimbledon.
“I would be very shocked if you see someone with a cool, calm head like him at such a young age dominate like he can.”
Although he was the villain for ending Littler’s dream becoming the youngest world champion, few will begrudge the success of Humphries, who is one of the sport’s nice guys.
But that has often led him to be called ‘boring’ as he is more reserved than the showman Peter Wright, fist-pumping Michael van Gerwen or combative Gerwyn Price, but he has let his darts do the talking.
“I am not a boring person, I know a load of people say it on social media, but what you see on stage is not the person you see in real life,” he said. “The comments do not affect me, people can say whatever they want to say.
“It is up to me whether I let them affect me and I never will. I am the one that is doing all the hard work and if I was to create a fake personality and do different things then I probably wouldn’t be winning the things I do.
“That is the great thing about darts, there are so many different personalities, a lot of them come out on stage, mine comes out behind the stage.
“Once I won the Grand Prix. a couple of people said it and everyone just jumped on that bandwagon.
“It is not boring, if you’re a proper darts fan you are going to enjoy watching that game. It happened to me, I celebrated winning one of the sets and look what happened next, I was rubbish, that is why I like to keep laser-focused and worry about winning the game.”
Named Luke by his father as homage to his beloved Leeds (Leeds United Kings of Europe), plans are in the pipeline to parade his trophy around Elland Road.
He added: “It would make me feel as good as I just felt because I have watched and supported my beloved Leeds for many years, since I was about three or four years old which is as long as I can remember.
“To go around and see all those Leeds fans cheering my name and shouting it would just a very emotional moment, it really will.”
World champion Luke Humphries has pledged to donate some of his prize money to Prostate Cancer UK as over £1million was raised for the charity during the World Championships.
Humphries lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy for the first time after a thrilling 7-4 win over teenage star Luke Littler on Wednesday night, picking a £500,000 cheque.
Tournament sponsors Paddy Power pledged to donate £1,000 every time a player hits 180 throughout the flagship event at the Alexandra Palace, with Humphries contributing 73 to a final total of 914.
The bookmaker has rounded it up to £1million, with Humphries also adding some to the pot as it is a meaningful cause as his father-in-law recently suffered from the disease.
“My father-in-law has battled prostate cancer, he went and got it checked out early, so this is a close thing to my heart,” he said. “I will be dedicating that one to him.
“For me to have added £73,000 is just fantastic. It is very, very close to my heart and as a collective the players have added quite a lot of money, I won’t say the figure, but I am going to donate a bit from my prize money as well.”
The money raised will fund lifesaving research to diagnose men sooner and improve the lives of men affected by the most common cancer in men, with one in eight suffering.
Prostate Cancer UK chief executive Laura Kerby added: “It’s been a magical few weeks at the World Darts Championship and we were absolutely thrilled this morning when Paddy Power agreed to round up the £914,000 to a million pounds.
“With every maximum thrown by both Lukes and the world’s top players; with every iconic shout of ‘180’ we have made a huge difference to men affected by this disease – and their loved ones too.
“We’re thrilled at the success of the campaign to date and as well as some sharp shooting from the players, it’s hugely encouraging that more than 90,000 people have completed our online risk checker.
“One in eight men will be affected by prostate cancer. It’s a disease that is curable if caught early, but early-stage prostate cancer often has no symptoms, so it is vital that men know their risk. This online tool is the first step.”
:: It takes 30 seconds to answer three questions to check your prostate cancer risk. Do it now by clicking on the following link: prostatecanceruk.org/180-risk
When Luke Humphries suffered an anxiety attack midway through a tournament in 2019, he could not have thought that five years later he would become world champion.
Humphries was playing in the German Open when he was suddenly immobilised at 5-2 up against James Wade and went on to lose 6-5. It was his darkest moment and he felt so bad he seriously considered quitting the sport he loves.
But it proved a pivotal moment in his career as in the aftermath he chose to speak out about his battle with his mental health.
And that was the start of a journey that came to a memorable climax on Wednesday night when he solidified his position as the new world number one by winning the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.
Although he was the villain for ending Luke Littler’s teenage dream of becoming the youngest world champion, few will begrudge the success of Humphries, who is one of the sport’s nice guys.
And the 28-year-old has proved that nice guys do not always finish last as his Ally Pally triumph was a culmination of a stunning few months where he won the World Grand Prix, the Grand Slam of Darts and the Players Championship to establish himself as the best player in the world.
Named Luke by his father as homage to his beloved Leeds United (Leeds United Kings of Europe) a career in sport always seemed likely, but for a while it seemed he would follow his dad Mark’s footsteps in becoming a roofer.
He certainly was not the teenage prodigy that Littler is. Littler came within one win of being the sport’s youngest world champion at the age of 16, while Humphries was the oldest player to win the World Youth Championship when he lifted the title in 2019 aged 24.
That success came in the months after opening up about his anxiety and it was four months after that another turning point came in his life as he decided to make the best out of a bad situation during the coronavirus lockdown in 2020 and shed a huge amount of weight.
When the PDC Tour resumed he was unrecognisable and it soon started paying dividends, with 2022 being a breakout year on the European Tour as he won four titles.
He transferred that to the main PDC Tour in 2023 and when he won the Grand Prix in Leicester in October to claim his first major title the floodgates were opened.
Nicknamed ‘Cool Hand’ in reference to the 1967 prison-drama film Cool Hand Luke, he has taking no prisoners, winning 19 successive matches as he also triumphed in the prestigious Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship tournaments.
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He has often been called boring as he is more reserved than the showman Peter Wright, fist-pumping Michael van Gerwen or combative Gerwyn Price, but he has let his darts to do the talking.
His semi-final win at Alexandra Palace saw him overtake Van Gerwen and Michael Smith to become the new world number one and he solidified that position 24 hours later by becoming the world champion.
The player that froze on stage in Germany five years ago would be proud.
Luke Littler wants to inspire fellow youngsters to play darts after his historic World Championship campaign.
The 16-year-old debutant has taken the sport by storm by reaching the final at Alexandra Palace, where he was beaten by world number one Luke Humphries on Wednesday night.
He was one win away from becoming darts’ youngest champion and earning sporting immortality but went down 7-4 in the final.
His performances over the last fortnight have earned him celebrity status and have transcended the world of darts as everyone has wanted a piece of the teenager from Warrington.
And Littler, who left school with just one GCSE in the summer to concentrate on his darts, wants to be an inspiration to other kids.
“I have caught a load of people’s attention,” he said. “It is just unbelievable, I hope I have caught lots of young people’s minds to get on a board and just try it out.
“If they don’t like it that’s fine but I’d advise them to give it a go because it is a good sport and once you get into it you’ll always love it.
“If you love the darts why don’t you get on the board and try and be like me or one of the other top professionals.”
Life has changed forever for Littler, who pocketed a £200,000 prize for finishing second and has got even more earning power owing to his celebrity status.
“I have just got to be myself and be the Luke Littler I have been here for the last three to four weeks,” he added.
“It has changed me a lot, I have broke into the top 32, I have got a bit of money now, which is going to help.
“Getting into the top 32 will definitely help me qualify for pretty much every event in the year.
“It’s a losing start to the year, but it is also a good start to the year. I will take the positives.”
Luke Littler has become a world star after his sensational run to the final of the World Championship at Alexandra Palace.
Although the 16-year-old debutant was beaten in the decider by world number one Luke Humphries, he proved he is going to be a force to be reckoned with for many years.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at what is next for the teenage sensation.
Why was his performance such a shock?
Littler has been a star in the making for some time with his performances on the junior circuit and it was winning the World Youth Championship in November that earned him a ticket to the main event. Although he had played some senior events, he had never experienced anything like the raucous atmosphere of a televised event before let alone the World Championship. Many 16-year-olds would have crumbled under the pressure, but Littler thrived on it and looked like he belonged on the biggest stage. He kept his emotions in check throughout the entire tournament and while all of his friends were enjoying their Christmas break from college, he was becoming a world star.
How good can he be?
Based on his performances over the last fortnight, the sky is the limit for ‘The Nuke’. He has already shown he is capable of matching the world’s best players and unless anything goes badly wrong, he will be at the top of the game for many years. Alongside an incredible darting talent, he also appears to have the mental strength to prevail. Former World Championship semi-finalist Wayne Mardle believes he will be a multiple world champion and he will get the chance to start winning some of the biggest tournaments from next month.
What is next for him?
Littler’s success at Ally Pally saw him earn a two-year PDC Tour card and guaranteed return to the World Championship in 2025. He left school in the summer with one GCSE – in sport – to focus on his darts and is ready to take on the professional circuit. His first shot at a major title will come at the UK Open in March as he has earned a spot in the last 64. It will be a test for Littler to handle the schedule as there is a lot of travelling both around the UK and Europe so he may have to pick and choose which events he plays.
What about a place in the Premier League?
The Premier League is a weekly round-robin competition played around the UK – with a couple of dates in Europe – between February and May. The top-four ranked players qualify automatically, with the PDC choosing four other entrants. It will come under big pressure to hand Littler one of the remaining spots after his performance at Ally Pally. The 16-year-old had said he does not think he will get picked due to his age and scheduling but it looks increasingly likely he will get the nod.
How much money can he earn?
Littler has already changed his life over the last fortnight, with his run to the final earning him a cool £200,000, which will be able to buy him a car when he can start driving lessons later this month. But that will be dwarfed by his earning potential from sponsorship and other revenue streams. He has transcended the sport of darts with his performances and personality, turning himself into a global name and the rewards will follow.
Luke Littler says he has what it takes to return to the Alexandra Palace stage and win the World Championship in the future after his historic debut dream ended in a final defeat to Luke Humphries.
The 16-year-old has set Alexandra Palace alight over the last fortnight and was one win away from producing one of the greatest sporting stories of all time by becoming the youngest world champion.
But he fell at the final hurdle as Humphries showed why he is the new world number one with a scintillating 7-4 victory, which saw him lift the Sid Waddell trophy for the first time.
He may have fallen just short of achieving sporting immortality, but this is just the beginning for Littler and his time will surely come, with many tipping him to become a multiple world champion.
He said: “It’s been unbelievable, I just wanted to win one game and come back after Christmas, that was the only goal I set, so this is a massive bonus.
“No one likes losing, I have not really lost much, so to lose on that stage I can’t really be angry, the only thing I am angry about is that I lost a lot of legs on my throw and I was just chasing Luke.
“I have won six games here so why can’t I go and win seven here in years to come? I have gained a lot of experience and stage experience, I am in the top 32 now so I could be in everything.
“The past three to four weeks have been unbelievable and now I just can’t wait to go home.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t give the crowd what they wanted.”
It is a landmark success for Humphries, who has now won four of the last five major tournaments after an incredible few months.
But the 28-year-old knew he had to seize his chance because with Littler around, he might not get many more.
“I could not put into words how great this feels,” he said. “I was thinking I had to win this one because he is going to dominate world darts. When I was on the brink of winning he was relentless.
“He is an incredible talent and I had to win this one tonight, he is going to win plenty that’s for sure.
“We will never ever see the likes of him again at that age, to go up on the world stage and produce those darts in the final, I love the kid to bits, he is a real credit.
“I hope he plays in everything because it is special.”
Luke Littler’s former coach hailed the 16-year-old’s efforts as “absolutely amazing” after his history-making run at the World Darts Championship ended with defeat to Luke Humphries in the final.
Tournament debutant Littler, the youngest-ever finalist, was beaten 7-4 at Alexandra Palace by Humphries, who had just become world number one.
It came after a run that had included the Warrington-born teenage sensation beating former world champions Raymond van Barneveld and Rob Cross.
And Karl Holden, co-founder of St Helens Darts Academy, which Littler attended from the age of nine, told the PA news agency: “Definitely not the result we wanted, but he’s playing the best player in the world.
“To play the best player in the world and do what he has done is absolutely amazing. How can somebody who is 16 do that? I don’t know.
“I’m absolutely delighted to watch him in the final. I’m absolutely over the moon for him.
“End of the day, hats off to him. I’ve told the kids…appreciate great darts, and that’s what we’ve seen tonight.”
Holden added: “At the age of 16, he’s one of the biggest names in world sport, never mind world darts. Just to have him in this club was a privilege.
“Obviously we put our little part in, but it’s his ability that is causing mayhem around the world.
“He’s just at the beginning of his superstar career. We’re very proud of him, we really are.”
While Littler’s name was barely known beyond his home town before the start of the world championship last month, this is no overnight success story.
Speaking before the final, which he watched as members held a party at the academy’s home, Holden said: “He has been coming here since he was nine.
“When he first came as a kid you could see he was very special and he just got better and better. Every year he was a bit better than the last.
“We put him up to the under-14s when he was nine, but three months after that he was smashing all them to bits.
“He hardly lost so we said, ‘What do we do now?’ We put him into the elite group, which is our best players and he had just turned 10.
“Obviously he puts a lot of hours in and we had to tell him to stop coming as he was so good.
“He needed to be playing at a better standard. He was good enough to win men’s tournaments at 13 or 14. And he did. His ability is second to none.
“The best players reach a level in their twenties that he’s reached at 16.
“We’ve produced some good players. Probably about 40 county players, but Luke is something else.”
Luke Littler has vowed to return to the Alexandra Palace stage and win the World Championship in the future after his historic debut dream ended in a final defeat to Luke Humphries.
The 16-year-old debutant has set Alexandra Palace alight over the last fortnight and was one win away from producing one of the greatest sporting stories of all time by becoming the youngest world champion.
But he fell at the final hurdle as Humphries showed why he is the new world number one with a scintillating 7-4 victory, which saw him lift the Sid Waddell trophy for the first time.
Life will never be the same for Littler, who now has a global profile as his exploits have transcended the world of darts.
He may have fallen just short of achieving sporting immortality, but this is just the beginning for Littler and his time will surely come, with many tipping him to become a multiple world champion.
He said: “It’s been unbelievable, I just wanted to win one game and come back after Christmas, that was the only goal I set, so this is a massive bonus.
“No one likes losing, I have not really lost much, so to lose on that stage I can’t really be angry, the only thing I am angry about is that I lost a lot of legs on my throw and I was just chasing Luke.
“I have won six games here so why can’t I go and win seven here in years to come. I have gained a lot of experience and stage experience, I am in the top 32 now so I could be in everything.
“The past three to four weeks have been unbelievable and now I just can’t wait to go home.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t give the crowd what they wanted.”
It is a landmark success for Humphries, who has now won four of the last five major tournaments after an incredible few months.
He has now won his last 19 matches and will be seeing this as the start of a period of possible domination as he is playing at a level no one can currently compete with.
But the 28-year-old knew he had to seize his chance because, with Littler around, he might not get many more.
“I could not put into words how great this feels,” he said. “I was thinking I had to win this one because he (Littler) is going to dominate world darts. When I was on the brink of winning he was relentless.
“He is an incredible talent and I had to win this one tonight, he is going to win plenty that’s for sure.
“It is something I never believed would happen to me. Incredibly pleased to have achieved something that I have always dreamed of.
“Luke showed incredible grit and determination.
“We will never ever see the likes of him again at that age, to go up on the world stage and produce those darts in the final, I love the kid to bits, he is a real credit.
“I hope he plays in everything because it is special.”
Former world champion John Part has warned Luke Littler that he will face a “shock to the system” following his heroic run at Alexandra Palace.
The 16-year-old debutant set the World Championships alight over the last fortnight and was one win away from making history.
But Littler fell at the final hurdle as Luke Humphries, 28, took a scintillating 7-4 victory.
Despite his defeat, teenager Littler looks set to be handed a lucrative place in the Premier League, which kicks off next month.
But three-time world champion Part told Sky Sports: “It’s going to be a bit of a shock to his system when he (Littler) goes back to the behind-closed-doors tour environment after being spoiled by all this attention.
“I know he’s done a lot of that just to get here, with the development tour and youth championships, but it’s going to be a new grind for him.”
Littler had a throw at double two to move 5-2 in front in the race to seven. Instead, Humphries stole the set and then reeled off the next five to lift the Sid Waddell trophy for the first time.
Part, 57, continued: “He (Littler) played a really good match and had one really pivotal point with the missed double two.
“But he played great throughout the whole tournament and in the final. He didn’t win it and has got to look forward now.
“He’s so pragmatic and has such an understanding of the game. You can tell he absorbs a lot watching and learning from the top pros and he’s ready to handle it himself now. Luke Littler will be a feather in people’s cap if they can beat him.”
Littler’s run to the final has transcended darts and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak posted on ‘X’ following Wednesday’s showpiece.
“Congratulations Luke, a great win tonight,” he wrote. “What an incredible final to end a historic championship.
“I know that @lukeh180 and @LukeTheNuke180 will be leading the sport for years to come.”
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