Luke Littler’s World Darts Championship debut captured the attention of an entire nation and sports fans everywhere but we have to admit, we didn’t envisage this fairytale ending with him falling at the final hurdle and having HMRC come along to sweep up nearly half of his winnings.
The teenage darting sensation took home a whopping £200,000 in prize money following his progression all the way to the 2024 PDC World Final but, as is the nature of the income tax here in Britain, that ridiculous amount of money is set to be reduced by almost half.
Sky News reported on Littler’s earnings in his first big senior competition as part of their new live-feed Money Blog on Thursday, 4 January, detailing how the taxman is about to put an £83,000 dent in the runner-up’s impressive prize fund.
Then, less than a couple of hours later, HMRC chimed in with a swift and amusing reminder that his earnings will of course be taxed, leaving plenty annoyed in the comments below.
Big congrats to Luke on his fantastic run to the final. We can confirm the existence of income tax. https://t.co/mT9imXtrX8
Turns out, the tax office has a sense of humour, apparently — and it’s very dry.
Investment platform Saxo estimated that Littler will have to part ways with an estimated £76,203 of his winnings, as well as £7,330 going to national insurance, working out to just over £83k in total.
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This means that all things considered, the 16-year-old will lose around 45% of his winnings but will still walk away with more than £116k. Nevertheless, plenty online have labelled the post everything from “unnecessary” and “brutal” to simply “inappropriate”.
We’re sure he’ll get over it, but plenty of fans were gutted on his behalf, with one person writing, “It’s really something when your government feels comfortable smugly bragging about how they fuck you over”, and countless others just adding calling them “thieves”.
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After all, it’s still more than any teenager would even know what to do with — as proven by the Warrington lad himself when he was asked what he might do with the money.
Luckily, with the sheer talent Luke Littler clearly possesses, not to mention seemingly having his head screwed on even at such a young age, we’re sure he’ll be adding plenty more zeros to those earnings as the years go on — so much so he’ll probably forget who HMRC even is.
Get yourself something sick, a few kebabs here and there, then stick the rest in your savings, mate.
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The latest news following his blockbuster final against the newly crowned champions Luke ‘Cool Hand’ Humphries – his first ever PDC World title – is that Sky is now going to be airing a three-part docuseries later this year, giving fans and newcomers a fly-on-the-wall look into the world of darts.
Super League Basketball Cup Finals return to Manchester for second year running
Danny Jones
Following the roaring success of last season’s epic conclusion, the 2026/27 Super League Basketball (SLB) Cup Finals are returning to the AO in Manchester.
Coming back for a second consecutive edition, the SLB’s domestic cup finals tournament will be taking over the city centre’s historic sporting and entertainment space for what is sure to be an even more exciting contest than the previous.
Intertwining themselves even deeper with UK basketball’s premier division, we’ll be hoping we can carry the home advantage all the way this time around.
Landing early next year, the arena’s bowl will be turned into a basketball venue which will host the top teams and talents throughout Britain.
Showcasing some of the very best men’s and women’s stars, this is one of the competition’s biggest flagship dates on the national calendar.
Offering clubs the first real chance of winning major silverware in the annual campaign, the organisers are urging fans to grab their tickets earlier than ever this year, with interest in the domestic game increasing constantly.
Local fans really showed up this past spring.
Set to take place on Sunday, 21 March 2027, next year’s deciders will see the female final tip off in the early afternoon, before the men’s players take to the court for a chance at the trophy.
In Manc basketball news, MCR have confirmed several key signings ahead of the new term, including a former London Lion.
SLB’s Head of Events, Clare Holmes, said in a statement: “We’re thrilled to be bringing the SLB Cup Finals back to the AO Arena for a second consecutive year.
“Last season’s event demonstrated the incredible appetite for elite basketball in Manchester, with a fantastic atmosphere created by supporters from across the country.
“Our goal is to continue raising the bar for our major events, and we’re excited to welcome fans back for another unforgettable day celebrating the very best of Super League Basketball.”
Early pre-sale access will be available to fans signed up to the official mailing list from Monday, 10 August, while general admission tickets go live at 10am the following week (17 Aug).
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via AO Arena/MCR Basketball)
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Manchester United announce plans for first permanent fan zone at Old Trafford
Danny Jones
Manchester United have revealed the first glimpse at a brand-new fan zone at Old Trafford – the first permanent one of its kind at the ground.
Dubbed ‘The Paddock’ in a nod to the club’s history, the official Man United supporter park is due to open later this year.
Set to be fully unveiled just metres from the Stretford End, the aim is to make it “the closest place to the stadium to enjoy great local food, drink, and lively entertainment.”
The new addition comes after recent consultations with regular season ticket holders who want a dedicated and club-sanctioned space to enjoy themselves before, during and after fixtures.
As you can see from the brief look we’ve now gotten at the fan park, which will be able to hold approximately 1,300 Reds, The Paddock will revolve around food and drink – including some self-service bars – as well as space for live music and other entertainment.
We know the above image is only a little artist’s mock-up, but you can picture local grassroots musicians who support the team being given the opportunity to play the stage, etc.
Rick McGagh, Director of Fan Engagement at United, said: “We’re delighted that in partnership with Levy, we have implemented a wide range of changes to enhance matchdays, bringing greater choice and better service for supporters across the stadium – something fans have told us they want.”
An official statement goes on to read that “the proposed fan zone is the latest example of our continued investment in the atmosphere, fan experience and facilities at Old Trafford, while progressing plans for a new world-class stadium.”
Speaking of which, we recently got more details on where exactly ‘New Trafford’ (not a confirmed title, just FYI) will sit in relation to the existing Theatre of Dreams.
Wharfside will look VERY different in the years to come.
Obviously, all of this news comes as somewhat temporary by default given that we now know the vision of Man United’s new stadium is finally starting to move forward.
However, it is nevertheless good news for matchgoers looking for places to spend extended periods near the venue when going to a game.
At present, this is all still subject to full planning permission, but with former Old Trafford Regeneration Taskforce Members and Greater Manchester Mayor turned Prime Minister Andy Burnham now at the helm, you’d expect something like this to pass through smoothly and quickly.
With an autumn opening date currently set for the opening of The Paddock, it will be interesting to see how well-attended it is given some of the recent sentiments and frustrations surrounding many of the most loyal and dedicated Man United fans.
In case you missed it, even a six-year-old kid and former mascot has seen his ticket restricted due to the attempted crackdown on touts. 😬
Danny Jones -
5th January 2024 
