Luke Littler’s Rise Fuels Darts Team Surge in Gretton

Villagers believe the so-called “Luke Littler effect” is behind a rise in young people joining their local league.

The Gretton Summer League, near Corby in Northamptonshire, has eight teams – despite its small population of about 1,500 people.

Two of those teams have consisted of young players who, until recently, had never played the game before.

Lee Wright, a player for village side The Odd Bods, said: “It’s brilliant and really, really good for the future of Gretton darts.”

Littler reached the World Darts Championship final at the age of 16 in 2024, before going on to become the youngest world champion in the sport’s history at 17.

He then again won the 2026 tournament on 3 January.

The teenage prodigy’s rapid rise has been credited with attracting a new generation of players across the UK.

“The Luke Littler effect has encouraged a lot of youngsters in the village to take darts up,” said Wright.

“Having these young lads come out on a Friday night and just throw some darts is really good.

“We’ve seen lots more 180s, mainly from the young lads.”

League organisers said there had also been an increase in women taking part.

The Gretton ladies team is one of the newest sides in the competition.

Emma Nicholls, who captains the women at Gretton Sports and Social Club, said: “When we said we were going to start a ladies’ darts team, we were struggling to get anyone to play.

“Now we’ve got about 12 players to pick from on a Friday.”