Saturday’s darts action at Alexandra Palace includes Luke Littler playing his first game of the 2025 World Championship, aiming to go one better than his miraculous run to last year’s final
Saturday’s darts action at Alexandra Palace includes Luke Littler playing his first game of the 2025 World Championship, aiming to go one better than his miraculous run to last year’s final Saturday’s darts action at Alexandra Palace includes Luke Littler playing his first game of the 2025 World Championship, aiming to go one better than his miraculous run to last year’s final
After all the talk, all the hype, and all the build-up, Luke Littler is back on the Ally Pally stage – but this time, it’s different.
Littler is now a household name and expectations are sky-high for the teenage sensation a year on from his emergence. The 17-year-old kicks off his World Darts Championship campaign against Ryan Meikle after receiving a bye into the second round.
The Nuke has already earned one accolade in December, winning the BBC’s Young Sports Personality of the Year award. But there’s only one piece of silverware he’s dreaming of this Christmas – the Sid Waddell Trophy.
After falling short in last year’s final against Luke Humphries, Littler will be hoping that this is his year as he continues to establish himself as the biggest name in the game. Here’s all you need to know ahead of his opener tonight (December 21).
When is Luke Littler playing?
Littler’s match is scheduled as the third game in this evening’s session of second-round matches. Earlier in the session, fans can watch the legendary Raymond van Barneveld in action against Nick Kenny, while headlining the night is Damon Heta vs Connor Scutt.
Littler is scheduled to walk out for a 9:10pm start. However, if earlier matches overrun, the start time may be pushed back later into the evening.
Who is Luke Littler playing?
Littler’s opponent Meikle has already overcome one big name in Fallon Sherrock. The 28-year-old defeated ‘The Queen of the Palace’ 3-2 on Tuesday.
Born in Ipswich, Meikle is nicknamed ‘The Barber’ thanks to his part-time job. This is his fifth World Championship appearance, never getting past the second round before.
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What channel is the World Darts Championship on?
To watch Littler in action you’ll need a Sky Sports subscription. It will be broadcast on their Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Darts channels.
How can I stream the World Darts Championship?
If you’re on the go or prefer not to commit to a long-term subscription, you can stream the match on NOW TV with a Sky Sports pass, giving you full access to the Ally Pally drama for £34.99 per month. Sky customers can also watch on the Sky Go app.
What are the Luke Littler’s odds?
Bookmakers have made ‘The Nuke’ the favourite to win the tournament. He’s around 2/1 on most sites, followed by Luke Humphries (3/1), Gary Anderson (8/1) and Michael van Gerwen (10/1).
So it’s no surprise Littler is as short 1/25 to beat Meikle, who would register one of the biggest shocks in darts history if he can knock his superstar opponent out. You can back the underdog at roughly 9/1.
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What has Luke Littler said ahead of the World Championships?
Speaking ahead of the World Championships, Littler has remained as grounded as ever, handling the weight of expectation with ease. The teenager plans to take a pragmatic approach and hopes to grow into the tournament, just as he did last year.
“You’ve always got to be on your A-game, but obviously as the game goes on, you know that if they’re playing well, you’ve got to step up and compete against them,” Littler told Sky Sports.
“We’ll just see how it goes. Obviously, you can only beat what’s in front of you, so you’ve just got to look at your next opponent in the Worlds.
“It will be one game before the Christmas break, so I’ll be fully focused for that, have Christmas off, and then we’ll travel back down – hopefully for another long December and start of January in London.”
What has Ryan Meikle said about facing Luke Littler?
After securing a hard-fought win over Sherrock in the first round, Meikle explained it was back to the day job ahead of his next high-profile clash. “I’m actually going home tomorrow and working for two days,” he said
“I’ll head back up on Friday afternoon and try to keep my mind off it, not putting too much pressure on myself, and just get ready for Saturday. I’m excited and I’m looking forward to it. I’m not going to say I’m going to win, he’s unbelievable, but I’ve got a chance.
“I love coming here; it gives me goosebumps every time I come. I can turn up on Saturday, and there will be no pressure on me. I’m sure there will be a lot of pressure on him. I can hopefully relax and play my best game.”
Mirror – Sport
