January 2nd 2025.
Luke Littler is certainly in for a lucrative year ahead. The young darts player has been making quite the name for himself on and off the oche, and experts predict that his earnings will only continue to climb after he turns 18 this year.
Currently, Littler is making a splash in the World Darts Championship, having secured a spot in the semi-finals. This accomplishment guarantees him a generous sum of £100,000, and he's only two wins away from the top prize of £500,000. Even more impressive, last year he walked away with £200,000 as the runner-up to Luke Humphries. It's mind-boggling to think that this kind of money is within reach for a 17-year-old, and that's just from one tournament. But of course, he's been racking up wins on other tours as well.
In fact, Littler currently sits at an impressive £618,500 on the PDC Order of Merit, a ranking list based on prize money won in the last two years. And that's not even counting his success in non-ranked events like the Premier League and World Series of Darts Finals. With these additional wins, he's comfortably surpassed the £1,000,000 mark for 2024. It's clear that Littler's earning potential on the oche is only going to continue to grow in the coming years.
But it's not just his dart-playing skills that are bringing in the big bucks. Littler's success has also caught the attention of marketers and sponsors. In fact, he recently won the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award in December. According to Forbes, his estimated earnings for 2024 were a whopping $1.5 million, including prize money, endorsements, royalties, and appearance fees. And that's likely just the tip of the iceberg.
As soon as Littler turns 18 on January 21st, he'll have access to a whole new world of sponsorships and endorsements. The finance experts suggest that this could lead to a dramatic increase in his earnings, especially since he'll now be able to endorse gambling and alcohol brands, which are a major part of athletes' portfolios.
It's no surprise that Littler has attracted a devoted fan base, including celebrities like England international Aaron Ramsdale. And with his current sponsorship deals with companies like Xbox, boohooMAN, and KP Nuts, the sky's the limit for this rising star.
If he manages to win the Sid Waddell Trophy and become the youngest world champion in darts history, there will surely be even more opportunities for Littler in the future. And he's already breaking new ground in terms of endorsements for a darts player. Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn praised Littler's success, noting that he's the first darts player to sign major sponsorship deals with well-known brands outside of the usual PDC partnerships.
Overall, Littler's success is not just benefiting himself, but the entire sport of darts. He's bringing in a new audience and showcasing the potential for darts players to secure lucrative sponsorship deals. And it seems like there's no stopping him anytime soon.
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