The PDC World Darts Championship gets underway at Alexandra Palace on Thursday, December 11, and all eyes will be fixed on Luke Littler as the teenage phenomenon kicks off his title defence against Darius Labanauskas.
Littler was still 18 days shy of his 18th birthday when he stunned the sport in January, becoming the youngest world champion ever. Since then, he’s stacked up silverware like it’s nothing, adding the Grand Slam, UK Open, World Matchplay, and World Grand Prix to his growing empire.
If not for a defeat in the Premier League final against Luke Humphries, he'd be staring down the barrel of a near-perfect season. It seems unfathomable that he will slip up in the opening round tonight.
As tradition dictates, the defending champion steps up on opening night, and this year that spotlight shines on the world No. 1 himself as he faces off with Labanauskas.
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What time is Luke Littler playing today?
The players will take the stage during the night session's third game of the evening, meaning the first darts will be thrown around 9:00 p.m. BST (4:00 p.m. EST).
Littler will face the winner of Mario Vandenbogaerde or David Davies if he advances to the second round. The teenager would be eyeing down Joe Cullen, Bradley Brooks, Mensur Suljovic or David Cameron in the third round.
MORE: How much do professional darts players actually earn?
Darts Betting Tips: Luke Littler vs. Darius Labanauskas Prediction
Littler will be heavily fancied to brush aside former Ally Pally quarter-finalist Darius Labanauskas. Still, it's worth remembering that the early rounds, with their short best-of-five-sets format, are where the big names are at their most vulnerable. If you're a lower-ranked player like Labanauskas, this is your window to spring an upset.
Last year, the Nuke posted a modest 92.65 average in his second-round win over Andrew Gilding. He took the match 3-1, but he surrendered eight legs along the way, and a repeat of that shaky start this time could leave him staring down a genuine shock.
But this isn't the same Littler who arrived wide-eyed 12 months ago. This is a self-assured world champion, the best player on the planet, and someone who now knows how to navigate Ally Pally pressure with ease.
The crowd adores him, the momentum is firmly in his corner, and with his relentless scoring power and ice-cold finishing, he should have more than enough to see off Labanauskas without much fuss.
- Littler odds to win: 1/33 (97.1%)
- Labanauskas odds to win: 10/1 (2.9%)
Luke Littler Odds to Win the World Darts Championship
Let's take a look at the rundown below for a snapshot of the leading contenders tipped to lift the PDC World Darts Championship trophy in the 2025/26 campaign.
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Luke Littler | 19/20 |
| Luke Humphries | 5/1 |
| Josh Rock | 18/1 |
| Gian van Veen | 18/1 |
| Gerwyn Price | 20/1 |
| Michael van Gerwen | 22/1 |
| Stephen Bunting | 45/1 |
Luke Littler vs. Darius Labanauskas TV channel and live stream
- Location: Alexandra Palace, London
- Date and time: Thursday 11th December 2025, 9:10 p.m.
- How to watch: Sky Sports Main Event
MORE: Luke Littler Net Worth - Earnings, prize money won by darts' teenage sensation
Who is Darius Labanauskas?
A three-time Lithuanian National Champion, Darius Labanauskas has long been the standard-bearer for darts in his homeland.
His trophy cabinet includes back-to-back Lithuania Open titles in 2011 and 2013, plus a strong run of Baltic dominance with wins at the 2013 Baltic Cup Open, the Estonian Open in 2012 and 2013, and a remarkable 2014 haul featuring the Trakai Castle Cup, Riga Open, and Riga Masters.
That same year, he fell just short of continental glory, finishing runner-up at the WDF Europe Cup singles after a hard-fought final against Ireland's David Concannon. He also reached the finals of the Estonian Open, Finnish Open, and Baltic Cup Open in 2014, marking one of the hottest stretches of his career.
On the world stage, Labanauskas has proven he can mix it with the elite. He's a two-time quarter-finalist at the sport's biggest event, first breaking through at the 2017 BDO World Championship, then repeating the feat at the 2020 PDC World Championship. In 2019, he punched his ticket to his first PDC ranking final, cementing his place as a dangerous contender when he steps up to the board to play Littler tonight.