Luke Littler has a chance to rise to the top of the PDC World Rankings this weekend with the commencement of the Machineseeker European Championship in Dortmund. The tournament will feature the top 32 players from the 2025 European Tour rankings competing for a share of the £600,000 prize money.
Renowned players such as Michael van Gerwen, Peter Wright, and Gerwyn Price will kick off the first round of the PDC Premier Event. Following them, Littler, Luke Humphries, and Nathan Aspinall will showcase their skills on Friday evening. The competition will progress through round two on Saturday, culminating in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final on Sunday.
The champion of the Machineseeker European Championship will walk away with £120,000, while the runner-up will secure £60,000. Semifinalists will receive £40,000 each, and quarter-finalists will earn £25,000.
In the event of an early exit in the first or second round, players still stand to make £15,000 and £7,500 respectively. Littler is positioned to potentially surpass Humphries in the rankings by seizing this opportunity and closing the £52,500 earnings gap.
‘The Nuke’ is currently in close contention with ‘Cool Hand Luke’, the current world number one. To overtake Humphries, Littler must bridge the earnings gap, especially if Humphries faces an early defeat to Krzysztof Ratajski, creating an opening for Littler to advance.
Despite facing challenges with German crowds in the past, particularly after matches against Chris Dobey and Gian van Veen, Littler remains focused on his goal. With aspirations of claiming the world number one spot, Littler is determined to maintain his momentum and apply pressure on Humphries.
Looking ahead to the PDC World Darts Championship, Littler sees the opportunity to secure the top spot later in the year. With a strategic plan in mind, he remains driven to achieve his goal and acknowledges the competitive landscape he faces in the world of darts.