Turn 18 and defend Bahrain Masters title – what next for Luke Littler?
The 17-year-old is the new world champion.
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Your support makes all the difference.Luke Littler achieved his destiny by winning the World Championship after bulldozing his way past Michael van Gerwen on Friday.
The 17-year-old beat Van Gerwen 7-3 in a one-sided final to become the youngest world champion ever.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at what is next for Littler.
When does he turn 18?
It seems difficult to believe given his exploits over the last 13 months that Littler is still not an adult.
But his 18th birthday is on the horizon as he comes of age on January 21.
That will open up a whole new world of possibilities to him which could test his focus.
How much money has he won?
Littler has already won more prize money than any 17-year-old would ever need.
His incredible performances since bursting on to the stage has seen him rack up an eye-watering £1.18million from ranking events and another £395,000 from international tournaments.
That will be completely dwarfed by his earnings away from the oche as his commercial partnerships with high-profile brands such as boohooMAN and Xbox will be extremely lucrative.
When does he play next?
Littler will be able to have a couple of weeks of celebration and relaxation before he next returns to the oche.
He is set to play in the Bahrain Masters on January 16 and 17, returning to the tournament where he won his first title in 2024.
He will be announced as the world champion for the first time and with that comes a different type of pressure.
When does he begin his Premier League campaign?
Littler was handed a wild card into last year’s Premier League, which he went on to win in spectacular style, throwing a nine-dart finish in the final against Luke Humphries.
He has qualified outright for the 2025 tournament due to his world ranking and will be there on the opening night in Belfast on February 6.
Can Littler surpass Taylor’s world title record?
Before Littler arrived on the scene the prospect of anyone ever beating Phil Taylor’s record of 16 world titles seemed frankly ludicrous.
But, if anyone can do it, it will be Littler.
He has time on his side and certainly has the talent and desire. But the overall standard is much higher than Taylor’s day, highlighted by the fact there have been seven different winners in the last eight years.