Dartnews editor warns Littler could walk away after World Series boos in Amsterdam

Luke Littler was booed by sections of the crowd as he took to the stage at the World Series of Darts in Amsterdam this past weekend. After the incidents the 19-year-old suggested he would not attend events held in the Netherlands if the behaviour continued.

Littler made his professional debut in 2024 and, at just 19, has won every major trophy in darts. He reached the PDC World Darts Championship aged 16 in his debut year and captured the title the following year. The rapid rise has brought lucrative sponsorship deals, six-figure winners' cheques, multi-millionaire status and his own TV show, while he was on a quest to become the first player to win all 10 major televised tournaments in a calendar year.

Amsterdam proved a flashpoint: Littler was booed during his win against home favourite Danny Noppert on Friday and the referee stopped his narrow last-16 win against Nathan Aspinall on Saturday to warn the hostile crowd before play resumed. His quarter-final defeat to Jonny Clayton ended the bid for a clean sweep. The Warrington native said the treatment amounted to a hostile response from some sections of the crowd.

Littler has now withdrawn from a series of upcoming events. "Just no point in me travelling, wasting my time while I'm getting booed," said Littler, and he has been jeered at numerous events in the UK as well as on the continent.

Samuel Gill, editor of Dartnews.com, warned that Littler's future in the sport could be at stake. "There's a real fear that within a few years he'll just turn around and walk away from the sport," Gill told BBC Sport. "So, I think for fans, 'Don't bite the hand that feeds you'. If people keep taunting him and don't want him to win, he might end up just walking away and not bothering anymore."

Gill said Littler's rapid ascent has parallels with past dominant players. "I don't think people expected him to reach the heights that he has so quickly," Gill said. "Michael van Gerwen was the same for a long time when he dominated the sport. He barely lost a game in about five years, and he was hoovering up titles for fun and it was similar," said Gill. "Everyone wanted to boo him and even me as a viewer before I got into this role, growing up watching Van Gerwen, I wanted him to lose because it's something different for the sport every single week."

Karl Holden, secretary of St Helen's Darts Academy — where Littler honed his skills from the age of nine — defended the player's character and professionalism. "They don't like him because he's that good. And he's got a bit of swagger to him," said Karl Holden. "Luke's got a bit of a character to him. For me, he's the ultimate professional. He might give a little bit of the large sometimes, but you need that, otherwise darts would be totally boring."

Gill argued Littler's presence has boosted the sport's profile and that sustained booing could prompt him to step away. "He's the one who is bringing this sport to a completely different level. Nowadays, he is back-page news wherever you go," Gill said. "He might just decide 'I just want a quiet life now and just live off his money'."

Having withdrawn from a series of upcoming events, Littler's boycott threat could end up being a blow to tournament organisers.