Luke Littler took the darts world by storm in 2024, but it may surprise some to see The Nuke still not atop of the PDC rankings.
Luke Littler won several majors in 2024, including the Grand Slam of Darts and the Premier League, and started 2025 by capturing his first-ever World Darts Championship.
Despite dominating for long stretches of 2024, The Nuke currently sits as World No. 2 and he’s a long way behind Luke Humphries on top spot.
The PDC Order of Merit works in a different way to other sports, which means Littler still has a long way to catch up if he wants to be the World No. 1.
Luke Littler is a year behind Luke Humphries in PDC Order of Merit
The PDC ranking system, named the Order of Merit, is based on results over a two-year period, and as Littler has only been playing regularly for one he has plenty of time and money to make up.
The fact The Nuke is up to World No. 2, above the likes of Michael van Gerwen, Stephen Bunting, and Rob Cross, is a testament to the incredible results he’s achieved in the sport in just one year.
| Ranking | Name | Prize Money |
| 1 | Luke Humphries | £1,904,000 |
| 2 | Luke Littler | £1,136,000 |
| 3 | Michael van Gerwen | £825,000 |
| 4 | Rob Cross | £556,000 |
| 5 | Stephen Bunting | £553,500 |
Littler’s World Darts Championship win, which earned him £500,000 swept him to number two in the world, but he still has over £600,000 to make up to topple Cool Hand.
Humphries won the World Darts Championship, the World Matchplay, the World Grand Prix, and the World Matchplay in the team as he has dominated where Littler hasn’t.
Some tournaments that Littler did well in during 2024, like the World Series of Darts and the Premier League, are also not ranking events and do not count toward the Order of Merit.
However, both men’s dominance last year means both have plenty of money to defend in tournaments they performed well in.
Should either man slip up in a few big-money tournaments this year, there’s every chance we could see a dramatic change in the PDC rankings.
Does Luke Littler want to topple Luke Humphries?
Although The Nuke realises toppling Humphries will be difficult, the 18-year-old has set his targets on making it to the top of the game.
Humphries started terrifically in his World No. 1 defence, picking up the first ranking tournament of the year at the PDC Masters.
Speaking at that event, The Nuke declared his interest in becoming World No. 1 saying: “I know Luke Humphries, I said it earlier on, he’s got a lot to defend so maybe I could get to world No.1.”
“Yeah. Obviously, we all know Luke’s got the capability to go, and well not retain everything, but to go and defend all the prize money that he won two years back but I’m hoping that I can either stop him or other players can stop him, so I can get to No.1.”
Littler and Humphries will compete in the Premier League Darts as The Nuke looks to defend his crown at the event which kicks off on February 6.