Luke Littler, who barely missed out on the championship, has made an incredible amount of money—a sum that most 16-year-olds can only imagine—after making his darts debut in the PDC World Darts Championship.
After defeating some of the biggest names in the sport in recent weeks and losing to his namesake Luke “Cool Hand” Humphries in the final, Luke “The Nuke” had amassed a sum of £200,000, far exceeding his £2,500 in winnings from the PDC before to this tournament.
On the other hand, analysts speculate that the adolescent has set himself up to make a lot more money in the future from sponsorships and sponsorship deals.
Although darts is not as profitable as other individual sports like golf or tennis, Littler might make “huge” money if all goes according to marketing and sponsorship adviser Nigel Currie.
“It’s hard to put figures on it exactly, but he has certainly put himself in pole position,” he stated.
Littler’s social media following, according to Mr. Currie, is a “key thing in the modern age” for him to land major sponsorship deals with companies looking to use his accounts to promote their goods, he told the BBC.
In addition to being able to handle the rowdy Ally Pally audience, Littler has gained enormous popularity on social media, with over 679,000 followers on Instagram alone. Football players from the Premier League, such as James Maddison and Declan Rice, who represent England, have also shared photos of him.
“There will be huge deals to be had within the sport of darts, by that I mean darts deals and board deals,” said Currie.
“It’s more limited within darts but it is still a key thing for him to be at the top and the most recognised player in darts, which he will probably become.”
In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Mr. Currie stated that Littler’s age and amiable demeanor play a significant role in drawing sponsorships.
“There’s something special about him,” he continued.
“Since he is still genuinely a child and growing, he may become a wonderfully positive role model if given the correct counsel and direction.
“For the sport of darts, it is crucial and it will widen its appeal globally.”
The consultant for sponsorship compared Littler’s ability to captivate an audience to Emma Raducanu’s victory at the 2021 US Open tennis tournament.
“It’s never happened in darts where you have someone so young beating some guys who have been around for years and are hardened world champions,” he stated.
Which brands might be keen on this?
Littler, a Warrington resident who was born in Runcorn, can’t be ruled out for the time being as a big source of sponsorship and advertising in the darts and gambling industries given that he only completed his GCSEs last summer.
However, the adolescent’s remarks regarding his regimen and match preparation can present chances.
“A kebab and a can of Tango” was Littler’s way of celebrating winning the competition earlier. Since then, one London kebab business has promised him free kebabs for life.
He stated, “In the morning, I’ll go for my ham and cheese omelette and then come here, have a pizza and then prep on the board,” referring to his preparation for Wednesday’s final. I’ve been doing that every day.”
“You could see a fast food company latching on to that pretty quickly,” said Currie.
“People are just looking to get that teenage market because it’s quite hard to get at that market without going down the footballing root and that tends to be quite expensive.”
Littler would be at the top of the list for many advertising companies, according to sports marketing analyst Tim Crow, who spoke on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Wake Up to Money program.
He stated, “In the morning, I’ll go for my ham and cheese omelette and then come here, have a pizza and then prep on the board,” referring to his preparation for Wednesday’s final. I’ve been doing that every day.”
“You could see a fast food company latching on to that pretty quickly,” said Currie.
“People are just looking to get that teenage market because it’s quite hard to get at that market without going down the footballing root and that tends to be quite expensive.”
Littler would be at the top of the list for many advertising companies, according to sports marketing analyst Tim Crow, who spoke on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Wake Up to Money program.
Will TV make any offers?
Emma Bullimore, an entertainment journalist, hopes that Littler’s performance at the event will also pave the way for TV appearances.
“There will be loads and loads of TV interest,” she stated. “Bosses want him precisely.
“He comes across as really personable and natural. He is very young to be successful, yet he is not wealthy. In whatever situation, the British adore an underdog.”
She continued, “Producers of the biggest reality TV shows in the UK, like Strictly Come Dancing and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, will probably be interested.”
I’m A Celebrity… contestants frequently receive hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation, and many continue to make money even after they leave the jungle.
However, Bullimore stated that the length of Littler’s stay would depend on how much time he was willing to take away from his athletic schedule.
“If you agree to do Strictly, it is a lot of fun but it is three months out of your time [while] I’m a Celeb involves travel,” she stated.
“Panel shows would be easy money for him, though I do not know how shy or gregarious he is.”
Bullimore also contrasted Littler’s success with that of Raducanu, who earned $2.5 million (£1.8 million) for taking home the title—the only significant one in her career—and has subsequently gone on to earn millions more in sponsorship revenue.
According to Ms. Bullimore, “Emma Raducanu is an interesting comparison.”
She also appeared out of nowhere and was quite young. She accepted every invitation and enjoyed every enjoyable thing that was offered to her.
“Is Luke going to be a huge champion or is this his moment? That was her moment. Does he make money?”