Last year, aged just 16, he arrived.
He came into the World Championships as a 66-1 debutant, carved his way through the draw, accumulating followers, raising decibels and spilling out into the mainstream.
It took the world number one – Luke Humphries – to halt the hype train, beating Littler in the final at the cavernous north London venue.
But it was Littler on the chat show sofas alongside Hollywood stars, Littler on the front of kids’ darts sets under the Christmas tree, Littler streaking through the earth’s upper atmosphere as part of a gaming console advert.
Online, he was searched for more than the King or the Prime Minister.
On television, last year’s PDC final was the most-watched sports event, outside football, in Sky Sports’ 34-year history., external
Humphries, who won it, has joked about people discovering mid-conversation with him that they are talking to the “wrong Luke”.
For Littler things have kept going right.
A boy born to the board, he has been relentless and ruthless, somehow finding the calm at the centre of the storm around him.
His game continued down those familiar childhood grooves, undisturbed by the commotion and celebrity.
The backdrop may be a fancy-dress cast of thousands, but Littler kept chucking as easy as the kid back in his Warrington living room.
A fortnight after his final defeat, he claimed his first televised nine-dart finish. He took revenge on Humphries in the Premier League Darts final in May. In total, he won 10 titles in 2024, rising to fourth in the world.
However, this visit to Ally Pally has been different.
