Luke Littler named as Britain’s 14th most popular darts player… with world champion Luke Humphries only 12th on list
LUKE LITTLER is only Britain’s 14th most popular darts star, according to a baffling poll.
The Warrington wonderkid rose to national fame during his sensational run to the PDC World Darts Championship final.
Still only 16 at the time, he captured the heart of the nation with his incredible throwing, grounded humility as well as his love of video games and kebabs.
Littler, now 17, lost the Ally Pally final to Luke Humphries but still pocketed £200,000 and a place in the 2024 Premier League.
However, a bonkers survey done by AceOdds somehow claims there are 13 darts players more popular among Brits than the teenager.
That is based on the percentage of positive online reactions to each thrower and therefore who is least likely to be booed.
Apparently, only 59 per cent of the comments about Littler are positive, plonking him way down in 14th.
That is two behind Humphries, despite Cool Hand regularly being booed, jeered and whistled at during the Premier League season.
Top of the list, though, is Ryan Searle.
The long-haired West Country ace has reached the last 16 at the World Champs three times and gets the love 84 per cent of the time on social media.
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In the week he beat Littler in Dublin, Michael Smith claims second place on 82 per cent, the only one of the eight Premier League men to make the top ten.
Andrew Gilding and Krzysztof Ratajski follow next before Stephen Bunting is sandwiched between Belgian pair Kim Huybrechts and Dimitri Van den Bergh – the latter of whom was booed for his slow tactics at the UK Open.
Jonny Clayton, Joe Cullen and Damon Heta snatched the final spots in the top ten, with Rob Cross 11th.
That is despite the same company claiming former electrician Cross is the most likely darts player for British fans to boo, with eight per cent of his reactions online negative.
Gerwyn Price (third, six per cent) and Michael van Gerwen (seventh, four per cent) are also among the unpopular players, according to the bizarre poll.