The Paddy Power PDC World Darts Championship has long been one of the hottest tickets in town. But the emergence of teenage prodigy Luke Littler has sent interest in the tournament – and darts as a whole – into a different stratosphere. Difficult though it may be to believe, Littler was a complete unknown to all but the most avid of darts fans little over 12 months ago.
Now he has a global profile befitting one of the world’s top athletes thanks to his remarkable run to the final at Alexandra Palace, where the then-16-year-old lost out to Luke Humphries. While it was a heart-breaking night for the teen, the match marked a watershed moment for darts as a whole.
The likes of Eric Bristow, Bobby George and Jocky Wilson first put darts on the map in the 1970s and 80s. For many that was the sport's first golden era, complete with infectious rivalries, terrestrial TV coverage and big, booming personalities. Until recently, it is perhaps the version of the game that the majority of the public were most familiar with.
Then came Phil Taylor, the all-conquering darting goliath who won 16 world championship crowns and swept aside all before him. In a glittering career that spanned over a quarter-of-a-century, no-one came close to The Power – and it’s doubtful anyone, even Littler – ever will.
