Luke Littler’s rise has been unrelenting since the teenage sensation burst onto the scene at the 2024 World Darts Championship. As the now 17-year-old continues to transcend the sport of darts and move into the wider public consciousness, legendary former world champion Dennis Priestley has come up with a big claim.
Speaking on the latest episode of William Hill’s YouTube show, Club 501, hosted by ex-pro turned leading darts pundit and commentator Wayne Mardle, the two time champion of the world drew comparisons between Littler and arguably the most famous footballer on the planet, Manchester United, Real Madrid and England legend, David Beckham.
“Luke Littler is still so young and his career could go one way or the other. I just hope he’s surrounding himself with the right people who will keep him grounded. If they can do that and he can remain at the top of his game for 10 or so years, then he’ll be worth more than David Beckham,” muses the 74-year-old Englishman. “However, it’s hard for any player to remain at the top for that length of time. Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry managed a decade at the top of snooker, but it’s very difficult to go on for longer than that. Phil Taylor dominated darts for nearly 20 years but that is not the norm.”
The ever growing wealth of the modern game marks a stark contrast from when Priestley himself was at the peak of his powers though. “There were times when Phil Taylor and I didn’t take our prize money so the PDC could stay afloat,” Priestley recalls. “That went on for quite a while, and I think it was just us two who did it.”
“As soon as Barry Hearn came in to take over the PDC he paid all the debts off and made sure Phil and I got paid. Then he made sure that we got more out of it than the other players who hadn’t put as much in. Phil and I got 600 shares each, whereas the others got 200,” concludes the winner of the inaugural PDC World Darts Championship. “He said that if in two years’ time he hadn’t set things right and secured better TV coverage and prize money, then he’d hand the PDC back.”