Daijiworld Media Network – London
London, May 29: Teenage sensation Luke Littler defeated Luke Humphries 11-10 in a dramatic last-leg thriller at The O2 Arena in London to reclaim the Premier League Darts title.
The final marked the third straight Premier League showdown between the world No. 1 Humphries and world No. 2 Littler. After Littler lifted the trophy in 2024 and Humphries responded in 2025, “The Nuke” regained the crown with a stunning match average of over 111.
The victory earned Littler prize money of £350,000, while runner-up Humphries received £170,000.
With the triumph, Littler now boasts eight major titles, including the World Darts Championship, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam, Players Championship, UK Open, World Masters and Premier League title.
Both finalists booked their places in the title clash after surviving tense semi-final encounters that went down to the final leg. Littler held off a spirited comeback from Gerwyn Price to win 10-9 after leading 9-4, while Humphries edged past Jonny Clayton by the same scoreline.
Remarkably, all 59 possible legs were played on Finals Night, with every match going the full distance.
An emotional Littler admitted after the match that the Premier League season had been mentally challenging, especially with sections of the crowd frequently booing him following an earlier controversy involving Dutch player Gian van Veen in Manchester.
“It was a rollercoaster first four weeks, bottom of the table, but then the fifth night I won my first night. I had to pick myself up through some tough times,” Littler told Sky Sports.
“After Brighton and the incident in Manchester, I was sat at home saying to Faith, ‘I don’t want to do it anymore, just the crowd every week.’ I said to her, ‘I’m down bad,’” he added.
The final itself developed into a high-quality classic between the two top-ranked stars.
Humphries dominated the opening session with an incredible average of 114.73 and produced clinical finishing, including spectacular checkouts of 134, 112 and 121 to race into a 6-3 lead.
Littler responded with an 11-darter before the interval to reduce the deficit to 6-4.
After the break, the momentum shifted repeatedly as the contest became intensely competitive. Littler produced an 11-dart break of throw, but Humphries immediately responded to maintain a narrow advantage at 7-5.
Humphries later missed several opportunities, allowing Littler to level the match at 7-7 before the pair remained locked together at 9-9.
Littler then appeared to seize control after firing six perfect darts on his way to a stunning 10-dart break that moved him within one leg of victory. However, Humphries held his nerve brilliantly to force a deciding leg by taking out double four under immense pressure.
In the final leg, Littler held firm to complete a memorable victory and cap another remarkable chapter in his rapidly growing darts career.