Luke Littler’s first purchase after winning £1m World Championship prize revealed | Other | Sport

It is the morning after the mauling and Luke Littler is a man very much in demand. But with every question thrown at him from media outlets home and abroad, there is no panic to rush out an answer. Every reply is considered, even if he might have had only a few hours’ sleep after his first purchase with his prize money – “£150 worth of pizzas in for everyone”. Littler has not been home since Boxing Day and his beloved Manchester United are soon kicking off against Leeds.

Twelve hours earlier, Littler was equally impressive and not just in his stunning destruction of Gian van Veen to retain the Sid Waddell trophy and become only the fourth player to win the PDC World Championship back-to-back. The world – with as much interest in New Zealand as in Newmarket – might have seen Littler at his very best to win the final 7-1 at the Alexandra Palace in 43 minutes of spectacular darts. But it was amid the cacophony of noise, flashing lights and the chanting from those in a ‘Littler Wonderland’ as he secured victory that the teenager showed a side of himself that says everything about him as a person.

Never mind the glory, never mind the matter of a million-pound first prize. Littler, 18, had other matters on his mind as he spoke on stage. He wanted to hail the retiring referee George Noble and MC John McDonald and make sure he paid his own tribute to Anthony Joshua and the tragic events of last week’s car accident.

“I had it in mind to speak about George and John and to give my feelings to Anthony Joshua and what happened in Nigeria,” said Littler yesterday. It was impressive stuff from an impressive young man who is dealing with his fame and fortune in an impressive manner. Others definitely came first.

He added: “Yeah, I don’t need to change. This is me as I am. Even when I’m at home, I’m the same person. I’m just a darts player at the end of the day. People call me a celebrity but I’m just a boy living his dream.”

Littler will head home with the incredible record of having played 20 matches on the stage of the Ally Pally in the past three years and lost only once, to Luke Humphries in the final in 2024.

His million-pound prize makes it £1.7m alone from the world championship but along with treating his family to a holiday in Dubai where he will celebrate his birthday after this month’s Masters in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, Littler will do what any other teenager might do. He will increase his collection of football cards, a hobby he has thanks to his friendship with King of the Jungle ‘Angry’ Ginge.

Littler said: “Panini cards, Topps Cards, anything. It’s Ginge’s fault really, he got me into (trading account) Whatnot. You bid and they will open a box and they say you get Cristiano Ronaldo, you get a Ronaldo card. I will treat myself. It’s a lot of money. As a family, we’ve never experienced these numbers, never mind whatever else I have won.

“But that’s why I don’t have my big bank account, if I ever need any money, I’ll message my dad and he can send it over.” Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens was among those who sent Littler messages of congratulations, support which he says means so much to him, after a final that had the makings of being close.

Dutch No.1 Van Veen, 23, won the opening leg with a finish of 112 and could have gone 2-0 up on a night where he contributed so much to the brilliance of the evening. But once Littler hit back when he moved 2-1 ahead with a sensational 170, the final was only going one way.

“Coming into the tournament, everybody was talking about the prize money but for myself, (it was) going back to back,” said Littler. “It was a decade ago since Gary (Anderson) did it. All eyes were on me.” All eyes will remain on him, too, because darts in particular and sport, in general, has an ambassador it can be so proud to have.