There was no doubt about it when the final of the Grand Slam of Darts 2024 was decided between Luke Littler and Martin Lukeman. Littler dominated the match from the start and, after winning fifteen (!) consecutive legs, secured the victory with a 16-3 scoreline. The win propelled Luke Littler thirteen places up the world rankings, and for the first time, he is ranked in the top ten globally, specifically in fifth place.

The Grand Slam of Darts 2024 has been a tournament full of surprises. Favorites were eliminated one after another, and lower-ranked players made deep runs in the competition. However, one player who consistently performed well throughout the year and managed to keep his composure was Luke Littler.

As the other pre-tournament favorites were knocked out, Luke Littler stood firm on the stage in Wolverhampton. He won his group and defeated Mike De Decker, Jermaine Wattimena, and Gary Anderson on his way to the final.

In the final, Littler faced Martin Lukeman, who had shocked many by achieving his best-ever placement in a PDC event. Lukeman reached his first-ever PDC final after impressive performances against Ross Smith, Rob Cross, and Mickey Mansell in the knockout stages.

However, in the final, Lukeman, ranked 46th in the world ahead of the Grand Slam of Darts 2024, could not match Luke Littler. Littler was simply too strong and comfortably won the final. Despite the loss, Lukeman’s performance earned him a climb to 37th place in the world rankings, the highest ranking of his career.

Luke Littler’s victory in the Grand Slam of Darts 2024 also resulted in a significant leap in the rankings. Despite having played on the PDC tour for only one season, he is now ranked fifth in the world. The win also earned Littler £150,000 in prize money.

The next major tournament is the 2025 Darts World Championship, where 17-year-old Luke Littler will enter as the favorite following his excellent performances this year and a final appearance in last year’s World Championship.

The 2025 Darts World Championship begins on December 15.