Luke Littler in World Darts Championship prediction over Gary Anderson as Flying Scotsman ready for Ally Pally

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Teenage darts superstar Luke Littler has made an intriguing prediction about Musselburgh’s own Gary Anderson ahead of action at Ally Pally...

Gary Anderson says he’s coming into the World Darts Championship playing some of his best darts - as Luke Littler tips him as a man to watch.

The Flying Scotsman from Musselburgh heads to Ally Pally off the back of a strong 2024. He has won three PDC ranking titles including a victory at April’s European Darts Grand Prix – a decade on from his first European Tour triumph. Anderson has also claimed a couple of Players Championship titles.

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His average of just under 100 at 99.86 is the highest of any Tour Card Holder Qualifier, succumbing 16-15 to Littler in a semi-final for the ages at the Grand Slam of Darts in one recent major. The two-time world champion reckons he’s at the top of his game ahead of a tournament with a winner hard to call.

Anderson said to the PDC: “I probably am playing better than ever. the amount of 110+ averages I’ve hit – I’ve had averages over 120, I’ve had 114s, 113s, 112s. I just turn up and enjoy it. The ProTour events I love.

“We have a bit of a banter and then I chuck a few arrows, and it seems to be working a treat for me! I’m not on stage as much nowadays, but it’s coming good,” continued Anderson, who will make his 16th consecutive World Championship appearance this year.

“If my floor game goes on to the stage every game, it would be looking good, but whether that happens is a completely different story. It would be nice to win this title again, but I don’t look that far ahead!

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“Before, you could pick a dozen potential winners - now you’ve got two or three dozen players who could possibly lift the title. You’re going to have your favourites – Luke Humphries, [Michael] Van Gerwen, young Luke Littler.

“Then you’ve got outsiders like Mike De Decker, Ritchie [Edhouse], Ryan Searle. It’s going to be an interesting one I think. I think there’s going to be that many top players all at the same level, and it’s going to be some battle. It could kick up some stink. There could be someone who comes from out of the blue to win it.”

Last year’s event at Alexandra Palace saw the rise of teenager Littler, who has gone on to become a sensation within the darts and wider sporting world. Anderson expects to see similar stories of young talents breaking through the ranks in years to come.

He added on Sky: "I've seen a lot of that last year. We knew Luke Littler was a good player. He just had a fantastic run, and you can see what he's done for his career, putting through the rafters.

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"It's nice to see that, and I think over the next few years you're going to see a lot of that happening. A lot of young faces coming through and just storming through. We've got so many good young players now.”

Meanwhile, Littler himself reckons that Anderson is one that must be paid close attention to throughout the tournament, kicking off against Jeffrey de Graaf or Rashad Sweeting during the evening session on December 22nd. He said: “Obviously you look at the World Champs, Luke Humphries, but you've always got to keep an eye on Gary Anderson, he's always there.

“But that's it, just them two obviously, and I know Michael van Gerwen, he's always there as well. I'll be looking at them as well and I'll be looking at my little section of the draw."

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