Netflix has announced a live darts event, Beat Luke Littler, airing October 30, where 20 amateur players will compete against the world number one. A single amateur who can defeat the 19-year-old prodigy in a leg of 501 will win a cash prize of £501,000 ($667,000).
The stakes are designed to mirror the game itself. The £501,000 jackpot is a direct nod to the 501 points players must count down to zero in a standard game of darts. For the amateurs, the prize represents a life-changing sum; for Luke Littler, known as The Nuke, it is a high-profile challenge to his status as the sport’s most dominant young force.
The Road to the Oche: Eligibility and Regional Heats
Netflix and production company Workerbee, a part of Banijay UK, are partnering with the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), the governing body behind professional darts, to source the 20 competitors. The recruitment process is open to anyone aged 12 and over, though those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian during auditions.
To narrow the field, open regional heats will be held in September 2026 across London and Manchester. Applicants are required to visit beatlukelittler.com to apply, where they must answer a series of questions in the application form, such as how long they have been playing darts and why they think they could beat Littler.
Littler has leaned into the competitive nature of the call-out. In a video message, he was seen reading social media posts from people claiming they could beat him before issuing a direct challenge.
“Reckon you could beat me in a game of darts? Let’s go.”
Luke Littler
Littler’s Ascent to World Number One
The event leverages a meteoric rise that began in 2024, when Littler, who began playing darts when he was just 18 months old, reached the PDC World Darts Championship final at age 16, losing to Luke Humphries. Since then, he has secured 28 PDC titles, including 13 major singles titles. He became the youngest world number one in the sport’s history in January 2025 at the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship at the age of 17.
His dominance extends beyond the world rankings. Littler has won the Premier League, Grand Slam of Darts, UK Open, and the Masters. He is a two-time defending Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Champion, winning in 2025 and 2026. Most recently, he retained his Betfred World Matchplay title in Blackpool on Sunday, July 26, defeating Gerwyn Price 18-9. During that final, he set a new record with an average of 111.53 and broke his own competition record for 180s, hitting 12 in the final to reach a total of 66 for the week.
This athletic success has translated into significant cultural capital. Littler was featured in the Netflix sports documentary series Matchroom: The Greatest Showmen and appeared as a guest on The Rest Is Football during the summer’s soccer action. He was also named to TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026 list. In June 2025, he was awarded an MBE.
“This is an amazing and unexpected honour but one which I am very grateful for. To receive a recognition like this is something I had never thought would be possible and it is a proud moment.”
Luke Littler
Broadcast Stakes and the October 30 Live Event
The competition is framed as a groundbreaking and high stakes encounter. Unlike a traditional tournament, the format is distilled into one night and one chance for an amateur to secure a perfect leg of 501 against the champion.
The event will stream live on Netflix on Friday, October 30. To watch, users will need an active Netflix subscription and can select the Beat Luke Littler stream on any supported device. While the exact timing has not yet been confirmed, the production aims to bring the electric atmosphere of professional darts to a global streaming audience.
For the 20 chosen amateurs, the challenge is steep. They are facing a player who has not only dominated the PDC circuit but is currently on course for a clean sweep of trophies this year. Littler’s confidence remains high, noting that Everyone thinks they can beat me,
and that the show finally gives them a chance to prove it.
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