Luke Littler, the darts prodigy known as ‘The Nuke,’ has etched his name into sporting history as the youngest PDC World Darts Champion, clinching the 2025 title at just 17 years and 347 days old with a commanding 7-3 victory over Michael van Gerwen on January 3 at Alexandra Palace. The Warrington teenager’s triumph, which earned him the £500,000 top prize, capped a sensational rise that began with his runner-up finish in the 2024 World Championship final against Luke Humphries. That 7-4 loss last year, while a heartbreak, led to an unexpected and whimsical offer from a holiday company, tempting Littler with a “dream job” as a kebab taster in Turkey. Though his 2025 victory rendered the offer a mere footnote, the story of this quirky proposition adds a flavorful twist to Littler’s extraordinary journey.
As Littler stood on the cusp of the 2024 final, his love for kebabs became a viral sensation, with fans delighting in his post-match ritual of savoring a £7.99 beef and chicken doner wrap from a German Doner Kebab outlet near his London hotel. “I will treat myself to a kebab. Get myself some bottles of Coke and bottles of Fanta,” Littler declared after his semi-final win over Rob Cross, proudly displaying his wrap stuffed with red cabbage, onion, tomato, lettuce, and a trio of sauces. This culinary passion caught the attention of On The Beach, a holiday operator, which seized the moment to offer Littler a unique role. “You may have heard that we’ve got more holidays to Turkey than you can shake a beach towel at. In fact, we’re the Kings of Turkey, and we heard on the grapevine that you’re the King of Kebabs,” wrote marketing director Caspar Nelson, playfully dubbing himself the ‘On The Beach Darts Champ.’
The job offer was as enticing as it was unconventional: an all-expenses-paid adventure to Turkey’s finest hotels, where Littler would “try every hotel’s kebab offering, sample their poolside dart boards, and report back to us.” Nelson described it as “almost as simple as hitting a 180,” adding, “Look at it this way, it’s a free holiday for as long as you want, travelling around doing the two things you love, throwing darts and eating kebabs. What more could you want?” Though Littler’s 2024 final loss to Humphries netted him a £200,000 prize—tempered by a £76,203 tax bill and £7,330 in National Insurance—the offer highlighted his growing cultural impact, blending his darting brilliance with his relatable, down-to-earth charm.
Fast forward to 2025, and Littler’s path to glory was unstoppable. Seeded fourth, he powered through the field, defeating Ryan Meikle, Ian White, Ryan Joyce, Nathan Aspinall, and Stephen Bunting before dismantling van Gerwen in the final. His performance was a masterclass, featuring a record-breaking 140.91 set average against Meikle and 12 180s in the final, earning him the Ballon d’Art for the tournament’s most maximums. “I can’t believe it, honestly, I can’t believe it,” Littler said, clutching the Sid Waddell Trophy with tears in his eyes. “We both played so well, and I said I needed to get off to a quick start tonight, and that’s what I did.” He credited a pre-final ritual of rewatching his 2024 loss to Humphries, saying, “I kind of knew what went wrong last year, but just to recap and just go over what I did wrong, it was the right thing to do for myself.”
Littler’s 2024 season was a prelude to his championship triumph, with titles in the Premier League, Grand Slam of Darts, World Series Finals, and a televised nine-darter in Bahrain. His £1 million-plus in PDC Order of Merit earnings catapulted him to world number two, silencing doubters and quashing retirement rumors sparked by Aspinall. “I know I’ve heard that, I don’t know where he’s got that from – don’t worry, I’ll be here in 10 years,” Littler vowed, setting his sights on Phil Taylor’s record of 16 world titles. While the Turkish kebab-tasting job remains a charming anecdote, Littler’s focus is firmly on the oche, where his darts and dreams continue to captivate the world.
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