In a sensational and explosive move that has rocked the world of professional darts, former world champion Gerwyn Price has announced he is quitting the PDC circuit with immediate effect to pursue a full-time career in UK Open Pool.
The 39-year-old Welshman, known for his fiery temperament and gloves-off interviews, did not hold back when revealing his reasons for the shock departure. In a blistering live social media rant on Sunday morning, Price declared he was “fed up to the back teeth” with what he called the “blatant and unchecked cheating” of teenage sensation Luke Littler.
“I’ve had enough. Absolutely had enough,” Price said, his voice trembling with frustration. “You’ve got a 19 year-old kid walking onto the stage like he owns the place, and everybody just claps. Meanwhile, he’s breaking every rule in the book. Crowd interference, walking across your line of sight, joking with the marker while you’re throwing for a double. And what happens? Nothing. Sweet nothing.”
Price, who won the PDC World Championship in 2021, did not mince his words when naming Littler directly.
“Luke Littler does what he wants, when he wants. He knows he’s untouchable. The officials are scared of him. The PDC is scared of him. Sponsors love him. So he gets away with murder,” Price charged. “Last week at the Players Championship, he stood right in my eyeline during my match-winning dart. I called it out. The referee did nothing. Littler just smirked. That was the final straw.”
The former rugby player turned darts icon confirmed he has already signed with the UK Open Pool Tour and will make his competitive debut next month in Manchester. “In pool, you get a proper referee. You get respect. You get a shot clock that applies to everyone. No favoritism. No golden child.”
The PDC has so far declined to issue a formal statement, but a source close to the organization told reporters they were “genuinely blindsided” by Price’s allegations. “Any suggestion of impropriety or partiality toward any player is categorically false,” the source said.
Littler, who has taken the darts world by storm since his historic run to the 2024 World Championship final at age 16, responded briefly via his management team: “Luke is focused on his game and has nothing but respect for Gerwyn. He wishes him well in pool.”
The response from fellow professionals has been sharply divided. Three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen called Price’s claims “dangerous and baseless.” Speaking from a European Tour event in Germany, Van Gerwen said: “Gerwyn is emotional, but this is nonsense. Luke is a talent, not a cheat.”
Others were more sympathetic. Veteran player and now-pundit Wayne Mardle wrote on X: “I’ve seen things that make me uncomfortable too. Whether Gerwyn is right or wrong, the fact he feels this strongly is a wake-up call for the sport.”
Fans, however, reacted with characteristic ferocity. Within hours of Price’s announcement, “Team Price” and “Littler Cheat” were trending on social media—though many dismissed the Welshman’s claims as sour grapes from a player whose form has dipped dramatically since his 2021 peak.
Price concluded his announcement with a typically bullish declaration: “Darts made me. I’ll always love it. But I love fairness more. The Littler show can carry on without me. I’m going somewhere they still believe in rules. See you on the pool table.”
As the PDC scrambles to contain the fallout from its most explosive controversy in a decade, one thing is certain: the sport has lost one of its biggest characters—and gained a feud that will not quietly fade away.
