Luke Littler planning another ‘chilled week off’ after stunning Cardiff display

Luke Littler has promised not to pick up a dart again before the Premier League resumes in Newcastle next week after taking time off led to his stunning nine-dart show in Cardiff.

Littler turned on the style for a third Premier League nightly win on Thursday, beating Michael van Gerwen 6-4 in a repeat of their world championship final showdown in January.

The world champion hit 10 180s and returned a match average of 112.50 – and it was all achieved after Littler had kept away from the practice board to “chill” out.

“I can’t see many players in the Premier League practicing at home,” Littler said after extending his overall lead to six points.

“I think everyone from the Prem is going to the Euro Tour this weekend, which I’ve pulled out of.

“I chose not to go and it’s just another chilled week off. I’ll have another week off and chill, and see how the darts fly in Newcastle.”

Littler won a set of bespoke 18-carat gold darts, worth around £30,000, for hitting the third nine-dart leg of the Premier League season.

Littler will head to Tyneside – the halfway point of the 16-week regular season – with a commanding advantage over second-placed Humphries and his place in the May play-offs all but wrapped up.

World number one Humphries has suffered three consecutive quarter-final defeats, but Littler is taking nothing for granted in the defence of his Premier League title.

He said: “I wouldn’t say the tide has turned because there’s still nine weeks left.

“Luke is still capable of winning the nightly wins, so I’ve got to try and add on to it.”

Humphries suggested in a radio interview this week that the 2026 world champion will receive a record £1million prize, double the amount Littler picked up at Alexandra Palace two months ago.

“I’ve not been told anything,” Littler said. “But obviously it’s been going around for many years.

“It’s been £500,000 for the past however many years, but I think that’s the next big step for us players.

“Obviously, whoever wins it, they’ll obviously go straight to number one.

“So, if it’s this year or if it’s next year, I do feel 99.9 per cent sure it’ll happen.”