In the high-stakes world of professional darts, where precision meets psychological warfare, the Premier League circuit has always been a cauldron of tension and triumph. But as Night Nine unfolded in the electric atmosphere of Berlin’s Mercedes-Benz Arena on April 3, 2025, a fresh layer of intrigue emerged from the shadows of the practice room. Teenage sensation Luke Littler, the 18-year-old world champion from Warrington, openly accused three-time world title holder Michael van Gerwen of engaging in subtle mind games designed to unsettle him just moments before they step onto the oche. This revelation, shared during a candid chat on the Stick To Football podcast, adds fuel to a rivalry that’s already captivated fans worldwide, blending youthful bravado with veteran cunning.
The backdrop to this accusation is the ritualistic “throw for the bull”—a pre-match tradition in darts where players hurl darts at a practice board to determine who claims the advantage of throwing first. It’s a seemingly innocuous moment, but in the pressure-cooker environment of elite competition, it can become a battleground for mental dominance. Littler, fresh off a dominant 2025 World Darts Championship victory where he dismantled Van Gerwen 7-3 in the final to claim his first global crown and £500,000 in prize money, didn’t hold back. “Before every tournament, before we go on stage, we throw for nearest bull to see who goes first and every time I’ll go over to Michael van Gerwen, and he’ll try to get in my head about hitting the bullseye first but always get it before he does!” Littler recounted with a mix of amusement and defiance. His words paint a vivid picture of the Dutch powerhouse, known for his explosive power and unyielding intensity, whispering doubts or cracking timely jabs to erode an opponent’s focus. Yet, Littler emphasized his unshakeable edge: time and again, the teenager’s dart finds the bullseye with surgical accuracy, turning Van Gerwen’s tactics against him and securing the psychological upper hand.
This isn’t mere banter; it’s a window into the cerebral side of darts, a sport where a fraction of an inch can swing a leg, a set, or an entire match. Littler, who burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old qualifier in the 2023-24 Worlds, has since ascended to the pinnacle, defending his Premier League title from last year while leading the 2025 table with 26 points and four nightly victories. His dominance over Van Gerwen is striking: seven wins in their last 10 encounters, including that championship thrashing and a gritty 6-4 final win at Night Seven in Cardiff two weeks prior. In that Berlin clash, Littler even unleashed a stunning nine-darter against the veteran, a 501 checkout in just nine perfect darts that left the crowd roaring and Van Gerwen momentarily stunned—though the Dutchman responded with a wry smile seconds later, a gesture fans hailed as sportsmanship at its finest.
Van Gerwen, a six-time Premier League champion and the sport’s elder statesman at 35, has long thrived on such mind games. His career, marked by 48 PDC titles and over £10 million in earnings, is a testament to mastering the mental minefield of the oche. But Littler’s rise has flipped the script. The youngster, who skipped school for darts and once subsisted on a diet of ham and cheese omelettes during his breakout run, now travels with a tight-knit crew including Nathan Aspinall and Chris Dobey—fellow players under the same management who share laughs and light-hearted ribbing in the practice room. “I travel with Nathan Aspinall, Chris Dobey—we’ve got the same management team,” Littler explained. “But with the likes of Van Gerwen, Luke Humphries, we’ll talk in the practice room, we’ll have banter, try and get in each other’s heads a bit.” It’s this camaraderie amid competition that keeps the tour vibrant, yet the Van Gerwen edge feels sharper, laced with the weight of experience.
The irony peaked in Berlin when Van Gerwen, slated to face Gerwyn Price in the quarter-finals before a potential semi-final showdown with Littler (who drew Chris Dobey), was forced to withdraw minutes before the action due to a nagging shoulder injury. The abrupt exit spared an immediate on-stage rematch but amplified the off-stage drama, leaving Humphries, second with 18 points, as the frontrunner to challenge Littler for play-off supremacy at London’s O2 Arena on May 29. Littler, unfazed, pressed on to the semis, his composure a hallmark of his meteoric ascent. Earlier in the season, the pair’s tensions simmered during the league’s launch in Belfast, where Van Gerwen publicly chided Littler for arriving 45 minutes late to a photoshoot after oversleeping. “He’s not a baby anymore,” Van Gerwen quipped, a comment that drew laughs but underscored the Dutchman’s no-nonsense approach. Littler fired back with trademark nonchalance: “I always let my darts do the talking. But he is not wrong. I was late. I’m 18 now and I’m responsible for my actions and I did get a little telling off.”
Beyond the barbs, Littler’s evolution shines through. At just 18, he’s amassed 22 maximum 180s in a single night, embraced the walk-on spotlight that once intimidated him, and even taken weeks off to recharge—famously skipping practice after Cardiff to “chill” before returning sharper than ever. “The pressure moments are my favourite part of the sport,” he once shared. “The fans will get on your back if you miss your first dart at a checkout and if you’re miles out, then the pressure is on, but when it goes in on the third dart, it’s amazing.” This resilience, forged in the fires of a sport demanding unflinching nerve, positions him as darts’ new face amid a boom fueled by record viewership and a prize pot doubling to £5 million for next year’s Worlds, with the winner’s share hitting £1 million.
As the Premier League barrels toward its climax, this backstage skirmish between Littler and Van Gerwen encapsulates the thrill of darts: a blend of brute force, fine motor skill, and mind-bending strategy. Fans, from packed arenas to online forums, devour these tales, rooting for the underdog-turned-overlord. Littler’s accusation isn’t bitterness—it’s battle cry, a signal that the kid who once dreamed of kebabs post-victory is now the one dictating terms. With Van Gerwen sidelined but scheming a comeback, and Littler eyeing a repeat crown, the oche awaits its next chapter in this epic saga. In darts, as in life, the bullseye isn’t just about aim—it’s about who blinks first.
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