At just 19 years old, Luke Littler’s star in professional darts continues to rise at a dizzying pace — and he recently combined his latest triumph with a very relatable personal confession that quickly captured headlines.
Littler, currently the world’s number one darts player, claimed his first Winmau World Masters title in dramatic fashion, edging out fellow headline contender Luke Humphries in a thrilling deciding set that finished 6–5. The victory in Milton Keynes was Littler’s latest major success and added a significant £100,000 prize to his earnings, bringing his total prize money over the past year close to £3 million. This latest achievement cements his place as one of the most dominant players in the sport today.
However, even as he held the trophy aloft amid roaring applause, moments later Littler amused fans with a candid admission — he had forgotten to buy his girlfriend a birthday gift. Laughing and smiling during his post-win interview, he revealed: “It is Faith’s birthday. I didn’t get her anything, but at least I got the trophy.” Then, making light of his oversight, he pledged: “We can go shopping tomorrow. It’s going to go!” His upbeat tone left no doubt that he intended to make it up to her.
The story resonated because it showed a softer side of Littler that contrasts with his ferocious competitiveness on the oche. Off the stage, he’s still a teenager navigating everyday life, relationships and the new reality of global sporting fame. Littler and his partner, Faith Millar, have been publicly together since March 2025, and she has been a constant presence at his most important matches — including his recent double World Championship success that netted him £1 million. It’s clear Littler values her support and clearly wants to share his success with her — even if he sometimes forgets the small details along the way.
Littler’s victory at the World Masters was far from straightforward. Against Humphries, a rival who has pushed him consistently in major finals over the years, he had to dig deep when the match was on the line. Speaking afterward, Littler admitted that he was exhausted toward the end, saying he had nothing left going into the decisive moments but managed to summon the focus required to close it out. That gritty mentality has become one of his defining traits.
Humphries himself offered generous praise after the match, saying Littler had shown true class and never folded under pressure — comments that some interpreted as an endorsement of Littler as one of the game’s greats. But Littler was quick to temper that idea, insisting that he would only truly be considered the best once he had surpassed the historic records of legends like Phil Taylor, whose trophy haul remains unmatched. He commented that he “didn’t hear” Humphries’ suggestion that he was the greatest ever and reiterated that surpassing Taylor’s legendary achievements would be the real mark of all-time greatness.
Beyond the birthday story, Littler’s success highlights a larger context in darts. His win in Milton Keynes means he is now tantalizingly close to completing what players call the Career Slam — winning all of the sport’s televised major titles at least once. Already this season, he has added another trophy to his collection and set himself up perfectly for the upcoming Premier League Darts campaign, kicking off on February 5. On night one of the 2026 Premier League season, Littler will face Dutch rising star Gian van Veen, another young player pushing toward the top echelons of the sport.
A good performance there could see him add a £10,000 nightly bonus, and he’ll be looking for consistency as the league moves through its demanding 17-week schedule. Littler’s appetite for success shows no signs of slowing, and fans and pundits alike are watching eagerly to see how far he can go.
For now, though, the narrative around Littler is as much about his personality as his performance. Winning one of darts’ major prizes and then publicly announcing a birthday gift blunder makes him feel both like a world champion and someone young enough to forget a special day — a juxtaposition that has made the headlines almost as much as the trophy he lifted. It’s a reminder that even among the elite, there’s still room for grounding moments of humour and humanity.
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