Luke Littler won the PDC World Darts Championship for the second year in a row after beating Gian van Veen 7-1 in the final at Alexandra Palace. The result gave the 18-year-old English player a second straight world title and confirmed his status as the dominant figure in the sport’s current cycle.

The supplied BBC report says Littler averaged more than 107 for much of the match and finished with a 106.02 average, while Van Veen remained just shy of 100. Littler also closed the final with a 147 checkout and had 16 of the tournament’s 73 maximums in the title match. Those numbers matter because they show the win was not a narrow escape but a controlled and high-quality performance.

Van Veen did not collapse from the start. He opened with a 116 checkout for a 12-darter to take the first leg and even forced Littler to respond early in the second set. But Littler quickly pulled away, taking the second set with a 116 finish of his own, then hitting a 170 checkout in the third set before sweeping the fourth. From there the match became a procession.

The BBC notes that Littler is only the fourth player to win the world title in consecutive years, joining Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson. It is also his second world title in only his third appearance at Alexandra Palace. That combination of age and speed has made the comparison with darts’ all-time greats unavoidable, even if Taylor’s record of 14 titles remains far away.

The title sits within a broader season of dominance. Littler won five major titles across the year, including the World Matchplay, UK Open, Grand Slam of Darts and World Grand Prix, completing the triple crown. The supplied report suggests the final was another step in a year-long pattern rather than a one-off surge.

Van Veen’s run still carried significance. The Dutchman will rise to number three in the PDC world rankings and is set to appear in the Premier League for the first time after reaching the final. He told Sky Sports he had not been given enough chances and said Littler had played phenomenally.

The decisive picture from the evidence is simple: Littler retained the title in emphatic style, delivered the tournament’s standout final, and joined a tiny group of repeat world champions. What comes next is whether his rate of improvement can keep pace with the expectation now surrounding him.