Fallon Sherrock defeated reigning world champion Luke Littler in a one-leg face-off at Manchester Central to win £501,000. Broadcast live globally on Netflix, the event featured amateur players challenging the world number one. After Littler defeated 14 amateurs, Sherrock, the first female player to beat a male opponent at the PDC World Championship in 2019, faced the teenager.
Despite Littler hitting a 180 early, Sherrock took out double 20 to clinch the prize. The packed crowd was in a boisterous mood with fans in fancy dress. Littler, who has won the PDC World Championship in the past two events, called the loss "brilliant," noting she won the bull and went out in 15 darts.
Nineteen-year-old Pearse Mackle, another Development Tour competitor, was the only other player to cause Littler a fright, failing to hit a match-winning bullseye in the final leg. The event, hosted by Gary Lineker with pundits Lee Mack and Richard Osman, aimed to bring darts to a new audience. Twenty players applied from 25,000 entrants.
Sherrock's victory ended the competition immediately, preventing the five remaining amateurs from competing for the prize. Her achievement, nicknamed "The Queen of the Palace" and awarded an MBE in 2023, marked a historic moment in the sport.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing