Luke Littler is already cashing in on his newfound fame: the teenage prodigy's officially licensed darts have sold out despite costing £102 ahead of the grand final, which will earn him a six-figure payout regardless of the outcome.
His fairytale story of winning junior and world youth tournaments before rising to the top of international competition has captured the imagination of fans – and now their bank balances.
Officially licensed darts produced by Target, emblazoned with its 'The Nuke' logo on the flights, are sold for £102.95 both on the website and from third party retailers. The 'Swiss tip' difficult point darts are sold out until February soft point darts are still in stock.
For those who want to show their support without breaking the bank, Target is also officially selling 'The Nuke' Flights for £1 each to install on existing shafts, but like the hard point darts they are out of stock.
The darts are made of 90 percent tungsten, according to the manufacturer's specifications, which promises a high level of grip, and have been designed together with Littler to his 'exact specifications and requirements'.
Luke Littler's officially licensed steeltip darts are sold out on the websites of both supplier Target and other third-party retailers
Luke Littler claimed victory over Rob Cross in the semi-final of the World Darts Championship on Tuesday evening, becoming the youngest competitor ever to reach the final
Rob Cross congratulates Littler on his victory after the thrilling 6-2 match, which saw the 16-year-old prodigy claim victory with two far straight sets
Littler hugs girlfriend Eloise Milburn, 21, after his win on Tuesday night. She will be watching from the Ally Pally audience tonight
Luke Littler will face Luke Humphries, 28, in the final – and will walk away with a six-figure payout regardless of the outcome
So while there's no promise that buyers will play as Littler, the package comes with a photo of the young sensation – which may help them feel closer to their new idol.
Darts firm Target has dedicated an entire section of its website to Littler, boasting about his famed collaboration with the prodigy.
It produced the darts in collaboration with the teenager after he became JDC Youth World Champion.
The company said on its website: '2023 remains the year of 'The Nuke'. After becoming JDC Youth World Champion, Luke released his Generation 1 darts, made in collaboration with Target Darts.
'Available in both steel tip and soft tip options, these darts continue to help “The Nuke” dominate the game and we can't wait to see where they take him next.'
It is the first of what is likely to be a flurry of collaborations and sponsorships for the star, whose Instagram following has soared during the tournament, which started in mid-December.
He reportedly had 4,000 followers on the photo-sharing website when he arrived as a relative unknown – and now has more than 500,000, with almost half of his followers coming during Tuesday's thrilling semi-final.
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede told MailOnline that Littler is a 'branding dream at 16' and is well on his way to becoming a household name who can 'easily earn at least £1 million by the end of the year'.
He said: “There are so many opportunities coming his way. He's been open about his love for fast food and soft drinks and his beloved Xbox, so these brands will likely come for him soon.
“I see companies like Pizza Hut, Dominos and Chicago Town Pizza all looking to sign him up for lucrative endorsements soon.”
Mr Ede believes brands such as Domino's, Pizza Hut and Fanta could fight to sponsor the darts prodigy, while tech companies could plot the launch of an Xbox game around him. That's in addition to the TV and book deals he wants to get.
Mr Ede warned that there will be brands that have strict guidelines when it comes to age, but when Littler turns 18, even more brands will want to get in on the action.
“Thanks to his relationship status and devoted girlfriend, he gets paid good money for exclusivity at home, and his social media is getting stronger, which means a lot of money can be made from posts,” he added.
Luke Littler arrived at Alexandra Palace this evening for his World Darts Championship final. He was greeted by the press as he got out of his car
The darts star was spotted on his way to a game with his girlfriend ahead of the final of the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace tonight
Littler steps out with his dad (left), his manager (middle) and his girlfriend (right) ahead of the big night
16-year-old Humble Littler will take on number 3 seed Luke Humphries in the final of the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace at 7.30pm, after seeing off opponents with the experience of a lifetime with apparent ease.
As well as winning a legion of fans – including celebrities and sports stars – he has also captured the heart of new girlfriend Eloise Milburn, 21. She was seen kissing her 16-year-old boyfriend as he headed to his history-making semi-final.
Littler met Ally Pally earlier on Wednesday afternoon after eating a ham and cheese omelette for breakfast with girlfriend Eloise Milburn, 21, ahead of the biggest match of his life.
Dubbed the 'Prince of the Palace' by fans, he is said to have ordered the £8.40 omelette from Cafe Millennium in Angel, north London, which he revealed was part of his pre-match routine this week.
The couple were all smiles as they strolled around Islington with a group that included Littler's father, Anthony Buckley, and his manager, Martin Foulds.
He will make history as the youngest-ever finalist when he takes on 28-year-old Humphries, having cruised through the semi-finals last night with an emphatic 6-2 victory over 2018 champion Rob Cross.
The kebab and Xbox-loving star has already won a £200,000 prize for reaching the final of the World Darts Championship, but he could leave Ally Pally £500,000 richer if he triumphs in front of a sell-out crowd tonight.
After beating Cross in the semi-final, Littler admitted he wouldn't change anything he did ahead of tonight's final.
He said, 'I'll just do what I did. Tomorrow morning I'm going for my omelet with ham and cheese. Then I eat my pizza for lunch.
'I'm going to practice on the board. That's what I've been doing every day.”
The young darts star has warmed the nation's hearts by telling how he celebrated his sensational wins with kebabs, pizzas and soft drinks.
After his win on Wednesday, Littler said: “I'll treat myself to a kebab. Get myself a few bottles of Coke and bottles of Fanta.”
He then kept his word by posting a photo of himself getting stuck into what looked like a lamb döner during his big night.