Luke Littler to snub BBC SPOTY as darts star eyes £1million prize | Other | Sport

Luke Littler is planning to snub BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year pageant next week to concentrate on his £1million crusade. After opening his PDC World Championship defence with a 3-0 win against Darius Labanauskas, Luke the Nuke admitted he expects Formula One king Lando Norris to top the Beeb’s prestigious poll.

Littler, 18, was runner-up behind Olympic gold medallist Keely Hodgkinson last year but this time he is fourth favourite with the bookies, on the six-person shortlist, behind Ryder Cup hero Rory McIlroy, Norris and Lionesses penalty queen Chloe Kelly. And he admitted that he intends to focus on his second-round date with either Belgium’s Mario Vandenbogaerde or Welshman David Davies, around 48 hours after the SPOTY gala on December 18.

With the first £1m prize jackpot in darts at stake, Littler said: “No. I’m not going. I’m not going to it. I think they know. I think obviously the people in the top three on the betting odds will obviously go there and I think Lando will win.

“I think I’ve only missed out on four majors this year. So if I’d won them, do I win it? Who knows – but good luck to whoever’s going to win it.” Littler plans to chill at home for a few days and take in his beloved Manchester United’s home game with Bournemouth on Monday night.

He hopes there will be less furore than the uninformed online pile-on which greeted his appearance in the sold-out away end for United’s 4-1 win at Wolves last Monday night.

Fans miffed at missing out in the ballot for tickets insinuated Littler had jumped the queue, but he shrugged: “I mean, everyone just jumps on everything. They don’t know anything.

“I put something out there (on social media) to thank adidas for the tickets because no one knows. And then when I put it on, they’re like, ‘Oh, you’re just trying to cover it up.’ But the tickets were off Adidas.

“From what I heard, as kit manufacturers adidas give a certain amount of tickets out a year, home and away, to whoever they want. So they chose me, gave me three tickets for Wolves away.”

The online bleating overlooked two important factors – Littler is a genuine United fan, not a freeloader, and his opportunities to see them play live are limited by the relentless darts schedule.

Littler’s win against Labanauskas was more comfortable than his post-match interview on Sky, when he was buzzed by the infamous Ally Pally wasp.

He hopes it was a good omen – back in 2011, defending champion Adrian Lewis was stung by the pesky insect during his first round tie with Nigel Heydon and he went on to defend the trophy.

Littler grinned: “Did he go on to defend it? Yeah? Well, maybe it’s written in the stars then.”