10 months ago
59
LUKE LITTLER says he has become aware of scammers who are trying to profit off the back of his name.
The teen sensation, the runner-up in the PDC World Darts Championship final, is loving life in the oche fast lane and is willing to take up any opportunity that comes his way.
GettyHowever, there is a dark side to fame and on this occasion that is unscrupulous people who try to exploit his image and status.
Last week in Holland, the 17-year-old did a marathon signing session of 1,050 Ultimate Darts Card – his new signature is simply ‘The Nuke’.
But it has been brought to his attention that fans have mistakenly bought items that they believed had been penned by the Warrington ace.
Littler said: “There are a few people out there who will try to steal it (my signature) and say it’s me and that.
FOLLOW LUKE LITTLER’S PREMIER LEAGUE DARTS DEBUT WITH OUR LIVE BLOG
“I have seen quite a few over the past few weeks after the world championship.
“People have been privately messaging me saying: ‘Have you signed this, have you signed that?’
“No. Sorry to bring it to you, but I haven’t signed much…”
Littler has more than one million followers on Instagram but his account is run daily by others.
PAOver the past four weeks, there have been posts on his feed which have alerted people to scam accounts being set up either in his name or that of his management company.
During the exceptional Ally Pally run, Littler celebrated his first-round win with a post-game kebab and an image of the late-night greasy meal was posted online by his camp.
And he also cheekily asked the crowd if he should have one when he knocked out UK Open champion Andrew Gilding from the second round.
But the PDC and his management team are keen to move away from that fast food image as he begins life on the gruelling 17-week Premier League circuit.
On his shirt for the Prem will be a Motor Neurone Disease Association patch in honour of Rob Burrow, the former Leeds Rhinos rugby league star who has the condition.
LUKE LITTLER'S DRAMATIC FEW WEEKS
The darts sensation has enjoyed an epic rise to superstardom in just a matter of days:
2023
Dec 20 – The then 16-year-old hit the headlines with a 3-0 win over Christian Kist on his Ally Pally debut.
Dec 27 – After beating Andrew Gilding, he beat Matt Campbell 4-1 to become the youngest player to ever reach the last 16 of the worlds.
Dec 30 – Beats his own idol and five-time champ Raymond van Barneveld to reach the quarters.
2024
Jan 2 – After dispatching Brendan Dolan in the last-eight, he produced an average of 106.05 against Rob Cross as he cruised past him in the semi.
Jan 3 – Denied a fairytale victory at the World Darts Championship after losing 7-4 to Luke Humphries in the final, although he pockets £200,000 as runner-up.
Jan 5 – Littler is selected as part of the lucrative eight-man Premier League tournament.
Jan 19 – Wins the Bahrain Masters after beating three-time PDC world champion Michael van Gerwen to claim the £20,000 pot.
Jan 21 – Celebrates turning 17 with a low-key birthday back home in Warrington
Jan 27 – Gained revenge on Humphries and beat him 6-5 to reach the semi-finals of the Ditch Masters.
Jan 28 – Van Gerwen denied Littler a second successive World Series title by defeating him in the Dutch Darts Masters final.
Having earned £230,000 in prize money in January, Littler has spent some of his money on virtual in-game Fifa ‘packs’ – where you can buy and trade top-flight footballers for your online team.
Asked what was the biggest gift he had treated himself to, Littler – who is an avid Xbox gamer – said: “Fifa Points to be honest. That’s all I have bought myself.
“You buy points. Open Packs. Get players. Sell them. Create your own team.
“Who is my best signing so far? I’d say Thierry Henry.
“I’ve been playing Fifa for many years. I’m still 17. I still play games before darts games. Listen to my music. That’s what I keep doing – because it’s working.”
Bengali (BD) · 
English (US) ·