Luke Littler vs Luke Humphries – World Darts Championship final LIVE: 16-year-old 4-2 up as he leads for the first time at Ally Pally in bid to become youngest ever winner and earn £500k

The only place that might rival St Helen’s Darts Academy for noise tonight will be The Millhouse pub on the other side of town, where Luke Littler’s brother Leon pulls pints and dad Anthony Buckley is a regular.

Leon isn’t behind the bar tonight, reports MailOnline’s Richard Marsden; he’s watching the drama unfold in person at Ally Pally.

But family friend Siobhan Davies, who turned out with husband Martin and son Josh, told us: ‘We’ve all been watching Luke’s matches throughout the tournament. There’s huge interest because he’s a local lad, everyone seems to be talking about Luke.’

Martin added: ‘I wasn’t a darts fan but I am now. It’s been really exciting, especially because Luke is from Warrington. He’s put the town on the map.’

Landlady Lisa Leyland, who has laid on cans of Littler’s favourite tipple, Tango, for the occasion, said she has ‘never known such excitement’.

She continued: ‘It’s off the scale. Luke is only one step away from glory – and he’s only 16.

‘Even if he doesn’t win it he’s already done loads for the town by boosting the atmosphere and morale.’

And as for giving Leon the night off? It was never in doubt: he was ‘given the night off’, no questions asked.

Littler needs this one to keep his two-set lead in the tie, and is on a 122 check out to do just that.

Humphries needs 48 but the 16-year-old doesn’t give him the chance for a third ton out of the tie!

We’re going the distance in the seventh…

Not Littler’s best leg but he’s still within touching distance.

He leaves himself 94 with Humphries on 71 but he’s missed the big number and got only 31!

Littler needs this to hold throw and needs bull but just misses out by a hair’s breadth and gets just 25.

Humphries repairs the damage and takes the leg to take control in the set.

Humphries has missed an absolute sitter of an opportunity, missing all three opportunities at double 8.

Oh this is unbvelievable – Littler sneaks up on the World No 1 to sink tops and draw back level against the throw in the second leg!

Humphries sets himself up with 170 to finish on what would be a massive leg to lose after going 4-2 down…

And he hits the BIG FISH!

Humphries just looks to be second-guessing himself just as he lets fly, and now he’s knocked his own dart out treble 20 to score -60 with his third dart – it’s all happening now!

Littler needs 136 to add insult to injury but he’s missed that double 8 once more! He just can’t buy a double 8 at the minute!

But with his last dart, Littler opens up a two-set lead against the darts!

Is this the moment he races off? He leads the last 11 legs 9-2!

The Ally Pally’s West Hall might hold over 3,000 people but the biggest cheers for Luke Littler will be coming from St Helen’s Darts Academy, where the protege honed his skills on the road to global stardom.

MailOnline’s Richard Marsden has been at the club, east of Liverpool, where members and locals have shared their pride at the teenager’s achievements.

Darts professional Eleanor Cairns, 19, the 2022 Girls World Champion, trained alongside Littler.

She said: ‘He had a natural talent since the day he came here. Everyone was talking about him then and he has just proceeded to win more titles.

‘And now everyone knows about him. Everyone has heard the name Luke Littler. It has been incredible to watch. Win or lose I’ll be proud of him.’

Jake Callaghan, 10 – with the cool lightning bolt shirt – has played against Luke.

He said: ‘He is so good. I have played against him a few times and he is so hard to play against. I hope to be a good as him one day.’

Things are still tense even as Littler moves ahead 3-2 – hearts are in mouths at the club with every ebb and flow as they watch and pray for their lad to win.

177 to start the first leg, 180 in the second.

He follows up with 87, but Humphries is now on for a nine after 360 off his first six darts!

170 to do it… but the boos ring out after he misses his first and leaves himself on 76.

And Humphries misses out again! Just 60 from that visit and now Littler just needs the double 8…

Well, Littler is on a nine-darter but after four perfect darts he misses out and needs 184 from his next two visits.

Make that 16 now, with Humphries stranded on 211.

He’s not had the best of luck with that double 8 and again misses it three times!

He only needs the double 4 now and gets it first time with Humphries still on 170 to break!

Every single match we’ve thought Littler will meet his match, but nothing looks like it can stop him.

Can Humphries pull something out now on throw to keep him on the leash?

And here’s how he took the lead for the first time in the encounter on sets…

Here’s the moment that Littler began the turnaround in the second set after a rough-ride in the first.

Nerves of ice this guy, honestly.

Darts has never been short of fans – but the sheer number of famous faces at the Ally Pally tonight is a sign that the sport has truly entered the mainstream this year.

Littler can almost certainly take credit for bringing famous faces like Romeo Beckham, James Maddison and Derek Chisora to the event tonight.

In fact, Beckham, as we’ve reported, posted for an Instagram snap shared by girlfriend Mia Regan in which he pointed at a sign reading: ‘Super Luke Littler’.

Another 180 for Humphries – his 10th already – before he follows it up with just 43!

How about that for punishment – Littler then thumps in a 180!

He’s on 51 to take the fifth set… AND DOES!

Littler is the first to be within a check out of the third leg of the fifth on throw, needing 144 and leaves himself 16.

Humphries is breathing down his back with 56 though, and somehow Littler misses three at the double.

But Humphries can’t hit tops and Littler gets another chance.

He seals it with his fifth attempt, and with the drama subsiding he does take a lead in the set.

More boos after Humphries can only manage the five perfect darts to start the second leg.

The World No 1 just needs 60 to finish off with Littler on 246 and he should steal this one now… and he does with tops to seal the second leg on with 12 darts.

Here we go then in the fifth and Littler will throw first.

He nails a 180 – not a bad way to start, that.

Just the 60 next time up though, although Humphries is throwing a little more wayward at the start of this one.

The teenager misses double 8 to check out at 130 and needs only 16 to finish at the second checkout opportunity, and slams a double 8 home to get his nose ahead!

The match isn’t even halfway done with four of a potential 13 sets settled, two apiece, but that hasn’t stopped the internet from riffing on the tense face-off between Luke Littler and Luke Humphries.

X, formerly Twitter, is alive with memes on Luke’s early upset in the first set and the comeback he staged in both the second and fourth.

From the classic ‘call an ambulance…but not for me!’ meme to scenes of Denzel Washington disarming gunmen in The Equalizer, it’s a good time to be a darts fan online.

Nothing to separate these two at the moment – there’s a real ebb and flow to this final already.

Humphries was masterful in the opening throws but Littler has just kept nibbling back at him to keep within touching distance.

That foiurth set wasn’t the highest scorer but was all the more excrutiating and enthralling for it as both missed their chances to check out at the first opportunity.

We’ve already had four sets somehow – a maximumm of nine more to go!

A few boos after Littler misses the chance of a nine-darter at his second visit – slightly unfair you feel!

Littler misses his chance to check out at the first port of call but lets it slide and now he can do so on a double 15…

… after missing his mark first time round he eventually does in three arrows by thumping home a double 4 to take the second set and level it up!

What a game we have ahead of us!

Luke Littler’s girlfriend Eloise Milburn, 21, has been a constant source of support for the record-breaking dartsman – and tonight is no different.

As Littler made his way onto the stage at the Ally Pally, there was a pause to get a tight embrace from his partner.

The pair have only been dating for a handful of weeks after meeting online while playing FIFA on their Xboxes – and there’s no denying she has stepped up to give him support as he stands on the edge of glory.

This fourth set is not the greatest quality we’ve seen tonight, but they all count.

Littler can clinch the third against the throw, and fires home a 180 at his second visit!

Humphries previous fluidity looks to have left him a touch, and now Littler can check out with 136.

Stand Up If You Love The Darts is of course flying around the arena as Littler misses his check out before the World No 1 gets his first leg of the set!

It’s a lower-scoring second leg in the fourth, but Littler gives himself 126 to win on throw, with Humphries on 112.

He doesn’t hit any of his marks though and still needs 72.

The World No 1 also misses out though with just 41 and the crowd roars for their favourite, but again he misses double tops!

Wow it’s a big let-off though as Humphries also misses the mark, and Littler polishes it off to go 2-0 up in the fourth!

Just the eight maximums to Humphries already, to Littler’s three.

Littler is again putting pressure on the Humphries throw and needs just 84 to check out, but can’t quite make it, but he is lucky as the World No 1 is not yet on a finish.

At the second chance though he does break with a double 10!

Another set heading inot the fifth leg – this has been some drama already.

But now it’s Humphries who is in the ascendancy as he gets another maximum, before Littler has a bounce out!

Humphries just needs the bullseye to take the set as he looks to check out, but misses.

But after Littler looks to get back into it Humphries sinks his set dart into double 8!

Littler is just missing that treble 20 a little more often as he drags twice into treble 5.

Humphries responds with 180 of his own, and after 65 needs only 116 to check out and level the set.

Littler still needs 217 but Humphries is focussed on his own game, and takes the leg!

We can’t imagine how Luke Littler’s mum Lisa is feeling right now as she watches her 16-year-old son stand on the precipice of all-time glory.

But these photos certainly give us an idea of the knots her stomach must be in as she watched Luke Humphries take the first set, before Littler stormed back to win the second.

The teenager’s girlfriend, Eloise Milburn, will be feeling the tension in the room too – look at the concentration in her face as she wills her boyfriend on…

Littler is on throw now but Humphries is in a great position to break the teenager’s throw but looks a little hesitant as he leaves himself 138 to check out.

Littler, needing 70, misses on double 10 and Humphries breaks!

Littler’s in the groove now, and Humphries just doesn’t look quite as settled and assured after the recent onslaught from the 16-year-old.

Littler’s average is up to 99.31 as he begins to put some bigger scores on the board.

And it pays off as he takes the second leg too to go into pole position heading into the final leg of the third set.

Gaming’s most famous plumbers, Mario and Luigi – or rather, a pair of men dressed as them – are among those watching this momentous final in north London tonight.

They told Sky News they managed to get tickets ‘quite late on’ – as did a set of Oompa Loompas who snagged some ‘golden tickets’ of their own.

‘It’s a good bit of sport, everyone doesn’t take it too serious and get involved,’ ‘Mario’ told the broadcaster.

Littler with the throw at the start of the third of a maximum of 13 sets.

The teenager needs an 80 to check out…. and gets it!

Off the mark in the third set!

We’re all-square already and that second set was a real turnaround for Littler.

He looked on the brink of going two down but turned it around with a 141 and 120 out to level up before snatching the third leg!

Bring on more of the same!

Imagine winning the WDC and still being too young to truly go out and celebrate the greatest win of your life!

So easy to forget this guy is still a child at just 16. Mindboggling.

He’s awake noe alright – another 180 and suddenly the tide is with Littler. Humphries is now looking like letting slip the total control he had on this one.

Littler needs 120 to win it now, and seals it on a Shanghai!

Littler, after breaking throw, is already down in the fourth leg after Humphries’ fifth maximum of the tie.

A few boos after Humphries misses a chance at a nine-darter.

But they quickly turn to cheers as Littler turns it on to take the fourth leg and suddenly he’s in with a shout to draw level again!

Littler is still not looking on it just yet and is at risk of going two sets down in a heartbeat.

But how does he respond? Only with a maximum to attack the Humphries throw!

But now Humphries gets one of his own and after both miss out on their first chance at a check out, Littler snatches it on double 15!

Footballers, sons of footballers, and now boxers – there doesn’t seem to be a sport that isn’t represented at the Alexandra Palace tonight.

Alongside Spurs’ James Maddison and Romeo Beckham (both pictured below), regional heavyweight champion boxer Derek Chisora has been spotted in the crowds watching the historic darts final.

Chisora is wearing a hat that appears to show Sylvester Stallone and Carl Weathers as Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed – we wonder what Chisora makes of darts’ very own clash of the titans tonight?

Another 180 to start off for Humphries and Littler just misses the chance to match him with a 140 of his own.

Another trebleless visit takes Littler’s total up to 12 already!

134 from Humphries leaves him 87 to finish off the second leg of this second set, but he can only manage 82 leaving double 5 to win again…

… And he does just that!

Humphries gets us going in the second set, and it’s another poor start for Littler who is averaging just 87.05 so far.

The leader buries a 180 to lead by 270 and Littler can only pull back 60, before Humphries takes the first leg.

Here’s how the World No 1 took that rapid first set.

Littler did go a set down to Cross in the last round, and look how he bounced back in that one – will we get a repeat tonight?

Littler just slightly hesitates going for a maximum and hands Humphries a chance to take the first set, which the World No 1 misses out on!

Littler pulls out a 180 but it’s not enough and Humphries seals the first set in pretty comfortable fashion!

Third leg already now with Littler getting us going.

He’s not doing too well though and registers a seventh trebleless visit already and he’s got ground to make up here.

Both are on the Shanghai finish… Humphries misses first up, and Littler turns it down, before Huhmphries gets the first break of throw to go 2-1 up!

First maximum of the encounter for Humphries to leave himself 47, which he misses out on the first opportunity and needs just a double eight to even things up.

He misses first time, but takes the second opportunity!

Walking In a Littler Wonderland is being absolutely belted out around Ally Pally making it pretty difficult to hear anything else as we finally get underway!

Just 44 from Littler first up matched by 100 by Humphries for the first throws before Littler leaves himself a 164 to checkout, which he misses first time to leave a further 40.

But after Humphries misses his own chance, Littler checks out with tops!

David Beckham’s son Romeo and his girlfriend Mia Regan are among those in the Ally Pally’s west hall tonight watching Luke Littler take on Luke Humphries.

Regan posted an image of Romeo wearing a Paddy Power headpiece as he holds up a sign reading: ‘Super Luke Littler’.

She then posted another sign with the playful taunt used by many against Littler in the tournament, in light of his age: ‘He’s got school in the morning!’

There are a couple of boos in the crowd for Humphries as he makes his way out to DNCE’s Cake By The Ocean – he’s definitely read the room, though, and it gets the thousands of darts fans in the house even more pumped up for this one – not that they needed it!

A few final warm-up darts for the pair are all that stands between us and the final now.

Man that kid looks like confidence and composure personified.

It may as well be a walk out to the shops for some milk – that’s how bothered he looks.

He heads straight for his family and partner for a last-minute hug and worlds of wisdom before he takes up his post on the stage to await Humphries’ arrival.

Here we go then – cue the music it’s time for the walk-outs!

First up is the teen sensation Littler…

Not to put too much pressure on his shoulders after one stunning tournament run, but Wayne Mardle reckons that Littler could become the GOAT.

While we have seen some big names fall afoul of the Nuke so far in the last week or so, are we maybe – just maybe – running the risk of jumping a little bit ahead of ourselves.

One thing you would say though is that Littler seems to not be paying too much attention to all the noise around him – and it’s fair to say that’s put him in good stead.

Check out more of what Mardle had to say as we tick ever closer to the walkouts at Ally Pally.

Here’s a look at some of the teenage sensations that Littler is just a few hours away from joining…

Luke Littler will throw first!

In the practice room ahead of the start of this one the youngster has taken the bull and will throw first in this one!

Let’s not read too much into that, but it’s always to start with as many positives behind you as possible.

The would-be Luke Littlers of the future have been practising their skills at the prodigy’s local darts club in Warrington.

St Helen’s Darts Academy has a dartboard established in honour of Littler as well as other legends like Raymond van Barneveld and Lisa Ashton.

But it’s the 16-year-old’s board that has been getting all of the attention tonight, with young fans in their own darts shirts practicing ahead of the final tonight.

We’re a big fan of Jake Callaghan’s shirt – all lightning bolts and a big dartboard right in the middle, in case you missed why he’s excited.

After a few rounds on the board, the entire club is settling in to watch, waving signs with messages like ‘Nuke ’em Luke’.

The club wrote on Facebook: ‘All our players and committee are so proud of you Luke.’ We’ve got something in our eye over here.

Luke Humphries ripped Scott Williams to shreds last night – in fact his winning average was the eighth highest in WDC history at 108.74.

The match-ups that saw greater numbers read like a darting Mount Rushmore with the likes of Van Gerwen, Van Barneveld, Taylor dominating.

Not bad company to be in, right?

There’s been some talk at Ally Pally in the studio about just how massive it would be if Littler went the distance…

Would it be the biggest achievement in sport? Would it be a bigger accomplishment than some of the heroics we’ve seen in the past?

Think Stokes at Headingley, Raducanu at the US Open, Leicester in 2015-16 – would this be better than the rest?

These two have been on stunning runs at the WDC – and it’s turned a few heads from other sports too!

Fans will be taking their seats any time now for the World Darts Championship final – but for those who weren’t lucky enough to get the highly coveted briefs, what is it like inside the hallowed halls of Alexandra Palace?

Sports writer Kieran Gill is there, and has been sharing footage of an empty Ally Pally – with stadium-style seating and hall-length tables laid out for those fortunate enough to be witnessing history tonight.

Those seated at the tables running the length of the venue will find themselves the lucky recipients of some Paddy Power merchandise. The bookmaker is the title sponsor of the event.

Among the goodies? Badges, hats and…underpants. Each to their own.

For those of you just joining us unaware of what we have on offer tonight, then firstly what rock have you been hiding under!

Luke Littler has absolutely torn up, set fire to and scattered the ashes of the script and torn through the World Darts Championship to make the final on his tournament debut.

And despite knocking out a couple of former champions already along the way, he’s now got to beat the World No 1 and pre-tournament favourite in Luke Humphries, who had a sublime 2023 that saw him pick up three major honours on his way to a superb run at Ally Pally.

We’re not quite straying into ‘what ifs’ just yet – but there is an opportunity tonight to write one of the great stories of all time. Not just in darts, but in sport.

We’ve not got long until we’re expecting to get our stars out on the stage tonight, and you really, truly will not want to miss this one!

Can anything faze Luke Littler? Pressed by Sky Sports News earlier on his chances, he refused to rate his own chances ahead of the match against Luke Humphries.

Instead, he spoke of his pride at inspiring other would-be future darts stars. He is, as ever, completely unflappable.

He told the broadcaster: ‘I’ve been proud of myself since I won my first game. I set my goal to win my first game, come back after Christmas and that’s it, I’ve not set any more goals.

‘I’m not going to set one tonight, just hope I’m going to win it because you never know.

‘It’s unbeliveable. If I’m on it, I can beat anyone, and I’ve beat three world champions.

‘I’m in the top 32 now so I’ll be going almost everywhere on the tour. I can’t wait for it. Winning all these games, I’m just letting it go and getting onto the next one.

‘I’m not going to set any goals to try and win it tonight: Luke’s got a quick throw, I’ve got a quick throw so it’s going to suit both of us tonight.

‘I’ve checked my TikTok, there’s so many youngsters playing, it’s good. I give them a comment saying “keep it up” and that. It’s crazy what I’ve done for the sport.’

In fairness, it’s a ridiculously catchy tune.

I’ve been whistling it for the last week myself.

For any of you at home thinking ‘I could do that, darts isn’t that hard!’ then think again.

How long do you reckon Littler spends honing his craft, though?

That magic figure of 10,000 hours? A couple a day?

Both wrong answers, I’m afraid!

Take a look at the story below to find out just how much the Nuke spends practicing on average – and I promise you won’t quite believe it!

Here it is – the Sid Waddell Trophy, the one they’re both in the house to lift at the end of the night (featuring a rogue hoover…)!

Who’s it going to be lifting that majestic piece of silverware tonight? Who you backing?

A little under an hour away until we expect to see the two stars of the show at Ally Pally.

Luke Littler is already cashing in on his newfound fame – with the teen prodigy’s officially licensed darts sold out despite costing £102 each.

Experts reckon that Littler will be in line for lucrative corporate tie-ins and sponsorships regardless of tonight’s result and sales of his official darts seem to suggest they’re on the money, literally.

Officially licensed darts produced by Target, emblazoned with his ‘The Nuke’ logo on the flights, sell for £102.95 on both its website and third-party retailers. The ‘Swiss tip’ hard point darts are sold out until February, while soft tip darts are still in stock.

Usain Bolt in 2008 grabbed the headlines for his somewhat unexpected preparation for his astounding 100m gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, when he revealed his build up included some chicken nuggets and a nap.

It would appear that Littler has taken a similar route of relaxation ahead of a night that will surely be full of nerves and tension.

We saw earlier what Littler has been getting up to earlier today, but surely his ham and cheese omelette – and a pizza – takes the proverbial biscuit?!

He’s a man of his word, too, having promised that’s exactly how he would gera up for the WDC final on beating Cross last night.

‘I’ll do what I’ve been doing,’ he said on Tuesday. ‘In the morning, go for a ham and cheese omelette, then come here have a pizza and then practice!

‘That’s what I’ve done every day.’

Warrington is behind Luke Littler tonight as he prepares to square up to Luke Humphries in the PDC World Championship final – with one pub even getting in a case of Tango, one of his favourite drinks, for the night ahead.

The Millhouse pub in the town has cancelled its weekly pub quiz for the game, and has put up banners reading ‘Come on The Nuke!’ and ‘Luke “The Nuke” Littler: One of our own!’ as it shows the event on big screen TVs.

Littler might not be old enough to buy a drink at the watering hole but his brother Leon, 20, pulls pints behind the bar and dad Anthony Buckley is a regular.

Landlady Lisa Leyland is all smiles as she poses with darts – and a case of the fizzy orange drink that the darts prodigy likes to pair with a kebab – while a few locals have been trying their hand at matching the local lad’s talent on the pub’s dartboard.

As punters piled in, Lisa said of his meteoric rise: ‘It’s brilliant. It’s absolutely brilliant. It’s amazing. I get a bit emotional about it.’

Littler has become so popular in his hometown that Hot Spot takeaway has rebranded its doner wrap, chips and mayonnaise meal as ‘Luke Littler’s Favourite Kebab’.

Connor Gough, 27, watching the game in a town centre bar, said: ‘He’s doing the town proud and he’s got the whole town talking about darts too.’

How about this for a touch of class from Rob Cross?

The 2018 champion was beaten 6-1 despite taking the first set last night, but went straight over to Littler to shake his hand and wish him all the best!

This isn’t a one-off either by the way.

Here’s a little look at Littler nailing a nine-darter at just 14…

Wondering what it’s like at the heart of it all tonight?

Well our man Kieran Gill is at Ally Pally this evening, and here’s just a taster of how things have been heating up ahead of one of the most highly-anticipated games of darts of all time…

Ah, the inevitable half-and-half scarves that seem to plague most sporting events…

A polarising topic in the right crowds, but on a night like tonight – and at the darts no less – you’d be surprised if that’s the biggest fashion faux pas come the end of the evening…

Is there anything better than being World No 1 in your craft?

Well maybe winning the World Championship the very next day – and that’s exactly what Luke Humphries is out here trying to achieve tonight…

Luke Littler isn’t just breaking darts records – he’s smashing TV milestones too.

A peak of 2.32million people watched his barnstorming semi-final win over Rob Cross on Tuesday night, according to Sky Sports – up 165 per cent on last year’s semi-finals and twice the previous viewing record.

The last record was set in January 2015 when Gary Anderson beat 16-times world champ Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor.

Sky says the figures are on a par with live Premier League, Carabao Cup and Championship playoff peaks – so next time someone tells you darts is niche, you can point to this and tell them to think again.

PDC chairman Eddie Hearn posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the viewing figures were ‘bigger than the Ashes’.

And he’s not wrong: Sky said an average of 965,000 people tuned in across the four days at Headingley in the summer, the highest ever for a Test match.

‘Last night Littler v Cross smashed the record with 2.32m audience! Bigger than the Ashes, bigger than the Ryder Cup let’s break 3m tonight for the final,’ Hearn wrote.

How does one become a darts prodigy at 16…? Asking for a friend.

Well, as with all things there’s got to be a healthy combo of nature and nurture, but you surely need the right teachers showing you the ropes along the way.

Take a lookat the St. Helens talaent factory that might have helped produced a world champion by the end of the night.

As a double winner of this one, as well as almost a dozen other major honours, Gary Anderson should know a thing or two about crackers at the darts.

Dare we fall into the trap of thinking back to what we were doing when we were just 16?

Pretty sure preparing for a WDC final at Ally Pally tops revising for a GCSE chemistry mock exam…

True to form, Littler was full of jokes about that clash in 2019 ahead of tonight’s match.

It’s only the biggest day of your sporting career, Luke!

At this point, feels like I’m more nervous than he is about it…

Tonight is going to be a herculean clash between the two Lukes, but believe it or not they’ve actually squared off once before.

And no it wasn’t at Ally Pally or any of the great sporting venues that might spring to mind, but in the Hayling Island quarter-final in the halcyon days of November 2019.

Littler was 12 – still staggering that that’s only four years ago – and was edged out by a 24-year-old Humphries on the night.

Who’d have thought that they’d be here on tonight’s stage later just a few years later?

You can take a look at that one at the link below.

Then again, the teenager didn’t exactly scrape through his own last-four tie either with Rob Cross…

Humphries didn’t just beat Scott Williams by the way, he whitewashed him 6-0 in a truly, terrifyingly, dominant performance.

Littler is the story of the tournament, and I think even Luke Humphries would be the first to admit that he has been nothing short of sensational.

But his opponent tonight would be the name on everyone else’s lips if it weren’t for the teenage star.

Humphries had only really enjoyed a middling career in darts up until the turn of 2023, never making it past the semis at a major tournament.

But 2023 saw the start of one of the most dominant 12-month periods in the game, with Humphries picking up the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and the Players Championship Finals – and he could add the WDC tonight!

Yes, Littler has honestly been pretty breath-taking, but let’s not forget that his opponent has been on one hell of a ride himself in the last year or so!

We’re what, three days into 2024? Are we already looking at the sporting story of the year?

So put yourself in Littler’s shoes for a moment.

It’s the morning of the biggest day of your entire life, how do you get yourself in the mood to carve your name in the annals of sporting history?

A ham and cheese omelette? Yeah, same.

Here he is, the man of the moment…

It’s just breath-taking how unfazed this guy is by the whole ‘a couple of hours away from sporting immortality’ thing.

So, what’s the big fuss all about? After all, it’s just two blokes chucking some tiny arrows at a board, right?

Oh you could not be more wrong.

Littler has turned the sport on its head over the course of the last month or so, undergoing a transformation the likes of which nobody would have expected – not even your uncle who claims his mate’s dog’s friend’s goldfish put a fiver on Leicester to win the league in 2016.

Tonight the kid from Warrington could become the youngest ever winner of the WDC in his first appearance.

Don’t underestimate how seismic this is; nobody has done this, nobody thought anyone could get to this point, and it’s pretty likely that nobody ever will again.

All he’s got to do is beat the best ranked player in the entire world. Should be easy right?

Forget the Olympics, forget the Euros – we’ve got THE sport event of 2024 coming your way tonight.

That’s right, it’s the PDC World Darts Championship final coming live from Alexandra Palace directly to your feeds as we take you through what has the potential to arguably be the greatest underdog story in sporting history!

16-year-old unseeded Luke Littler takes on World No 1 Luke Humphries tonight at Ally Pally on his tournament debut. Does it get bigger than that?!

We’re expecting the pair out on stage at around 8.00pm, which gives us a little over two hours to build up to what will be a titanic night of darts that none of us will be forgetting in a huryy, so don’t you go anywhere.