Luke Littler secured his second UK Open on Sunday with victory over James Wade. However, of the £120,000 winner's cheque he collected, he's likely to surrender nearly half to the taxman.

The Nuke maintained his blistering PDC form in Minehead across the weekend, overcoming challengers including Danny Noppert and Josh Rock to reach the final for consecutive years. Wade was his opponent once more and, as was the case 12 months prior, Littler emerged triumphant, this time prevailing 11-7. Throughout 2026, he has epitomised supremacy, claiming a second World Darts Championship crown in January before capturing his maiden World Masters trophy in February. A substantial £1million was on offer for his Ally Pally triumph, with a further £100k banked at the Masters.

Nevertheless, one minor drawback to these victories is that Littler now sits within the top tax threshold. HMRC classifies professional prize money earned by sportspeople as taxable income, meaning the darts sensation's UK Open earnings will take a considerable knock.

From the £120k winner's prize he collected in Minehead, approximately 45 per cent is expected to be removed as an Income Tax payment. Additionally, a further two per cent in National Insurance contributions will likely need to be settled.

Consequently, Littler's £120k windfall could shrink to roughly £63,600 following tax and National Insurance deductions totalling £56,400. Although this remains an estimate. That figure excludes any management fees or travel expenses, which are tax-deductible but could further diminish his actual take-home pay.

EXPRESS SPORT ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page

The 45 per cent additional rate threshold kicks in on earnings exceeding £125,140 in the UK. Therefore, it's calculated that every pound Littler generates for the rest of this year will be subject to this rate.

Nevertheless, Littler has established his own limited company to help mitigate the tax burden, as darts professionals operate as self-employed contractors.

His Worlds prize money suffered a substantial reduction in January, with estimates suggesting he confronted a tax liability of up to £450,000. That's before National Insurance contributions.

Yet speaking following his Ally Pally semi-final triumph over Ryan Searle, Littler remarked: "It's a massive prize. But it's the trophy on the stage, it's not the money."