Luke Littler became the youngest world champion in darts history on January 3 when the 17-year-old Englishman beat three-time champion Michael van Gerwen 7-3 in the final. "Everyone dreams of lifting this trophy," Littler said after beating van Gerwen. "I can't believe it." The teenager has also become a sporting sensation. He's an ordinary English teenager who enjoys fast food and video games but has an extraordinary talent for throwing darts. That talent has earned him fame and fortune. He made $1.28 million in prize money during 2024 and he added another $620,000 to that when he won the 2025 World Championship. He has become one of the most talked about sports stars in the UK since finishing as the World Championship runner-up in 2024. According to Google, he was the most searched sportsperson in the UK in December, and the third-most searched celebrity, behind only Donald Trump and Kate Middleton. Littler's success has also helped bring darts back into the mainstream. Although Littler is young, he's been working at his game for more than a decade. There are videos of him throwing magnetic darts while still wearing a diaper. Van Gerwen was previously the youngest world champion in the elite Professional Darts Corporation competition, winning the 2014 final at age 24. Van Gerwen said losing his record "hurt" but was full of praise for Littler. "Every 17 years a star gets born," Van Gerwen said, "and he is one of them." Many were already wondering if Littler can reach Phil Taylor's record of 16 world titles. Claiming a first title at age 17 will now supercharge that conversation.