‘It’s lovely to see’ – Phil Taylor reveals chat with Luke Littler about prize money after teen becomes millionaire

PHIL TAYLOR has lifted the lid connected a chat helium had with Luke Littler earlier his Grand Slam of Darts victory.

The Power, a 14-time PDC satellite champion, revealed helium spoke with Littler astatine the office of their communal sponsor, Target Darts.

However, Taylor believes 1 "lovely" happening astir Littler volition support him from ruining his career, similar helium has seen others do.

He told talkSPORT: "I've seen players travel and spell implicit the years. It's a substance of being dedicated, you know, and wealth isn't his motivation, judge it oregon not, helium isn't truly that bothered.

"I was with him a mates of weeks agone down astatine Target, and helium conscionable plays connected his game. He is simply a emblematic teenager, you know, and helium isn't motivated by prize money.

"It's great, don't get maine wrong, and he's secure. He's much funny successful looking aft his parent and begetter successful tournaments.

"It's beauteous to see, due to the fact that I've seen truthful galore players wherever they commencement earning wealth and that ruins their vocation then.

"But this lad, helium conscionable sits there, he's quiescent arsenic a mouse, he's beauteous institution to beryllium with, to beryllium honest."

After winning his archetypal large successful the Grand Slam of Darts and adding £153,500, the 17-year-old has present earned much than 1 cardinal pounds successful prize wealth alone.

An awesome debut twelvemonth has seen the Nuke burst into the apical 5 of the satellite rankings - contempt the rankings being done implicit a two-year rolling period.

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Littler has the accidental to get adjacent higher astatine adjacent weekend's Player Championship finals but needs to triumph the contention to guarantee helium tin overtake first-round hostile and World No.4 Rob Cross.

The darts play concludes with the satellite title astatine Ally Pally, wherever Littler mislaid retired to World No.1 Luke Humphries successful the final, moving from December 15 done to January 3.

Taylor, 64, has backed Littler to instrumentality the crown this twelvemonth however, partially acknowledgment to his pre-match routines “doing the different players’ heads in”.

He said: "I’ll archer you what though, if there’s anybody that could bash it, it’s this young lad now.

“He has got the property connected his broadside and the quality – you ne'er know. You ne'er cognize with him...

"I wouldn’t stake against him.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t stake against him. Definitely person him arsenic an each-way bet.”

The gully for the 2024/25 World Championship takes spot connected Monday day successful cardinal London, the time aft the decision to the Players Championship Finals astatine Butlin’s Minehead.

Humphries – who bushed Littler 7-4 successful the 2024 last – is the defending champion and volition stay arsenic satellite No.1 immoderate happens implicit the Christmas period.