In the cauldron-like atmosphere of the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, Luke Littler once again proved why he sits atop the sport. The defending champion battled past former world title winner Rob Cross in a tense last-16 showdown on December 29, grinding out a 4-2 victory to book his place in the quarter-finals.
Now the world number one at just 18, Littler produced a performance of staggering quality. He averaged over 106, ripped in a tournament-record 17 maximums, and repeatedly found big moments when the pressure was at its highest. Yet despite the brilliance on the oche, the night took on an uncomfortable edge as sections of the Ally Pally crowd turned against him, loudly backing Cross and booing the teenager throughout.
As Littler began to pull clear, the hostility only grew. Fans appeared desperate for a shock or at least a longer, scrappier contest, and Littler clearly felt it. His celebrations became more animated, pointing into the crowd and shouting “What now?” after crucial legs. When he sealed victory with a composed 68 checkout, the fireworks continued during his on-stage interview.
“I’m not bothered, I’m really not bothered,” Littler said. “You guys pay for tickets that pay for my prize money. So thank you for my money. Thank you for booing me.”
The remarks immediately split opinion. Some saw it as Littler fully embracing darts’ traditional villain role, while others felt the comments crossed the line. Speaking later, Littler admitted emotions had got the better of him, acknowledging the difficulty of dealing with such an atmosphere at his age. “It’s one of those things,” he said. “You leave it all in there, react to big moments, but it’s hard when you’re in my position.”
Off the stage, the debate continued online — and Littler’s mother, Lisa, was quick to step in. She fiercely defended her son on social media, firing back at critics and labelling the crowd behaviour as “vile.” Her blunt responses only added fuel to the conversation, underlining the intensity of the scrutiny her son is facing at such a young age.
The shift in crowd sentiment is striking. Once the darling of Ally Pally after his breakthrough run two years ago, Littler now finds himself cast as the dominant force fans love to root against. With records tumbling and his grip on the number one ranking tightening, many supporters appear eager to side with the underdog in hopes of drama or an upset.
Despite it all, Littler delivered when it mattered. The win marked the first time he had dropped sets in this year’s tournament, yet he still looked composed, ruthless, and utterly confident. He now moves on to a New Year’s Day quarter-final against either Luke Woodhouse or Krzysztof Ratajski, firmly positioned as the favourite to defend his crown.
The episode highlighted the unique edge of darts crowds — electric, passionate, and unpredictable. Past greats have faced similar treatment at the height of their dominance, and Littler is learning those lessons in real time. As he summed it up himself: “It was hostile, nobody wanted me to win — but I proved them wrong.”
At Ally Pally, the noise only adds to the spectacle. And for Luke Littler, it seems the louder the boos get, the stronger he becomes.