Yahoo News Luke Littler given 'come at a cost' warning if he wins £275k payday at Premier League Darts
Luke Littler's dazzling debut in the Premier League might come at a cost for the young darts sensation, ex-Premier League winner James Wade has warned.
He believes that the 17-year-old should have been omitted from the annual darting roadshow, despite his incredible run to the final of the World Championship. Littler and his team seized the opportunity to participate in the eight-player tournament, which kicked off in early February and wraps up tonight (Thursday) with the play-offs at London's O2, where a record-breaking crowd of 14,000 is expected.
The Warrington thrower is set to face Michael Smith in the semi-finals after topping the league phase by an impressive eight points. World champion Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen will compete in the other semi-final, with the ultimate winner taking home £275,000.
READ MORE: Darts sensation Luke Littler reveals what Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson told him
While the Premier League is a profitable tournament, with each nightly winner bagging a £10,000 bonus, it also presents a gruelling schedule, running concurrently with European Tour and Players Championship events.
Keeping this in mind, Wade suggests believes Manchester United fan Littler should have been given a year off to refine his skills in less high-profile tournaments. In his Daily Star column this year, he expressed concerns that the demanding schedule could have long-term effects.
He stated: "In truth, that's what probably should have happened to Luke Littler. A huge tournament in the limelight should have been followed by a year of keeping his head down, picking up ranking points, learning about his game, and gradually becoming a force to be reckoned with.
"But Littler has already become the PDC's biggest asset and they want to parade him around the country and in the case of the World Series, the globe while they have him. I will caveat by saying that he might revel in it, lap it up and finish top of the top four but ultimately that will come at a cost further down the line."
Littler goes into the play-offs as the favourite to lift the trophy and is brimming with confidence. He declared: "I cannot wait. I'm so glad to be a part of these sold-out arenas, and I'm going to The O2 full of confidence.
"I'm just focused on trying to win that first semi-final against Michael He has got a good record against me, but hopefully I can put that right and win when it really matters. It would mean everything to lift the title. It would be my first major title, but if it's not to be, it's not to be."
