NEW YORK, June 27 — Luke Humphries retained the US Darts Masters title Friday night in a deciding-leg victory over Luke Littler, becoming the first player to win back-to-back crowns at Madison Square Garden. The sell-out crowd of 5,000 fans — a record for darts in the United States — watched the world’s top two players resume their rivalry after they partnered England to World Cup glory earlier this month. Humphries, the reigning champion, seized a commanding 4-1 lead in the early stages.
The world number one then rattled off four straight legs to seize the initiative. But Humphries produced a late turnaround to close out the victory and claim his third World Series of Darts title.
“This is the most iconic venue I think darts will ever go to,” Humphries said after the match. He averaged 104 in the finale. “Every year we come here it gets better and better, and the fans have been absolutely amazing.
It’s been insane.” The match swung on a critical sequence. Humphries was averaging over 107 in the opening stages of Friday’s showpiece, but after squandering two darts for a 5-1 lead, the pendulum appeared to shift.
“It’s great to go back-to-back. I’m always out to set records and do things that not many players have done,” Humphries said. The victory extends a compelling rivalry that has defined the upper tier of the sport.
Littler was aiming to lift the US Darts Masters crown for the first time in his career. “Me and Luke always have fantastic games, and it’s just another brilliant game in the saga of Luke v Luke,” Humphries added. “I feel if I can keep performing like this then I can keep pushing him, because he’s unbelievable.
He’s the toughest player in the world to beat.” Littler, for his part, offered a pointed observation about the atmosphere: “What’s the point in paying money for tickets and then coming to boo?” Strategically, the result signals Humphries’ ability to perform under pressure on the sport’s biggest international stage. The back-to-back title in New York cements his standing as the man to beat in the World Series circuit.
The broader stakes for darts in the US market are clear. The record crowd at Madison Square Garden suggests the sport’s American expansion continues to gain traction. What this signals for the remainder of the 2026 season: the Luke v Luke saga is far from settled.
