Luke Humphries goes to the World Darts Championship as the defending champion and world number one, but he is not the bookmakers’ favourite to lift the trophy, with that role filled by Luke Littler.
Humphries beat Littler in the final a year ago, dramatically ending the headline-grabbing run of the lad, who was then just 16 years old, on his debut at the sport’s biggest events.
Since that 7-4 victory for Cool Hand, the two have spent most of the year scrapping it out for who is the best player on the planet.
Littler did not take long to prove to people that his Alexandra Palace run was no fluke, winning his first event of the season in Bahrain and then beating Humphries in the final to win the Premier League.
The world champ was still adding to his silverware collection as well, claiming the World Matchplay title in July after winning the World Cup the month before.
The Nuke shot back to supremacy by winning the Grand Slam in November, where Humphries struggled and was eliminated in the group stages, but Cool Hand surged back in style by beating Littler in the showpiece as he won the Players Championship Finals.
Both have had brilliant years and there is little question that they are the two best players on the planet right now, but it is Littler who is the shorter odds to be lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy on 3 January.
Prices at the betting window are of course affected by how the punters have invested their money, but however Littler has become favourite, his fellow players don’t necessarily agree.
Michael van Gerwen was asked who the best player in the world is right now and told Viaplay: ‘I think it’s Luke Humphries.’
When it was put to MVG that Littler is the favourite, he said: ‘I don’t agree with that. That’s just because there’s a Littler hype which kind of overshadows Humphries and that’s not really fair.’
Mighty Mike was flanked by his good friend Vincent van der Voort, who suggested Littler’s best might be better, but Humphries is the most reliable of the two.
‘I do think Littler’s peak might be a bit higher but Humphries is the most complete player right now,’ said the veteran Dutchman.
‘Littler is spectacular and when he’s in full flow, you think wow, what am I even watching? But if you look at the results across the whole year Humphries is just much more consistent.’
World number seven Jonny Clayton told BetVictor: ‘Luke Humphries is the best darts player in the world by a mile, he’s so consistent and dominant.’
Legendary figure Raymond van Barneveld, who will face Humphries if they both win their openers at Ally Pally this month, and says he will be taking on the toughest challenge in the game if that does happen.
‘He knows what I can do, but he’s the one at the moment, he’s the best player,’ Barney told the Daily Record.
However, one voice suggesting Littler is the best on the planet is in fact Humphries.
‘Statistically, he’s playing the best darts in the world,’ the world champion told The Guardian. ‘I was doing the same this time last year. At the start of the 2024 season, Michael was playing the best darts. Then it went to me, then to Luke, then back to me, and then Luke. We’re very close at the moment.’
That doesn’t stop Cool Hand thinking he should be the favourite, though, saying: ‘Of course. But, really, each player should think in their mind that they are the favourite.
‘I don’t look too much into what the bookies think because they’re going on statistics and probabilities – and there’s no probability in a world championship. I know me and Luke will be close together as the favourites and Gary [Anderson] and Mike [van Gerwen] would be a bit behind us. But it doesn’t mean any of us will win. Whoever plays the best and most consistent darts will pick up the trophy.’
Humphries is right to say that a number of top players can turn in World Championship winning performances, but it is he who has proved himself most likely to over the last year.
Cool Hand has been stunningly consistent for over a year now in major tournaments – winning six and reaching two more finals since October 2023 – and has shown little sign of being weighed down by the mantle of world champion.
James Wade said of him: ‘I believe Luke Humphries is probably the second or third best world champion we have ever had.
‘We have had [lots of] world champions. Luke Humphries has won almost everything after the World Championship, and before it.
‘I really think the public and yourselves [the media] are failing a bit. We have never had a world champion like it. The last world champion we had as good as him, maybe Michael (Van Gerwen), but before him Phil Taylor.
‘You’re not going to get someone as great as him for a long time. I think we need to celebrate it. The things he’s doing are magnificent.’
Littler is undeniably brilliant, but Humphries feels like he has earned the favourite tag more as they both return to Alexandra Palace.
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