Fallon Sherrock secured a life-changing £501,000 victory after defeating reigning world champion Luke Littler in a high-stakes, one-leg darts match on Friday. The event, titled Beat Luke Littler, was broadcast live globally on Netflix and took place at Manchester Central, where the world number one faced a series of amateur challengers.
Sherrock, a 32-year-old player with 21 titles on the Women’s PDC Series, was eligible to compete as the rules barred current PDC Tour members.
She gained her entry after winning 75% of a public vote against Germany’s Jarod Becker.
Reflecting on the emotional win, which she achieved in front of her son Rory, she stated, “It’s insane, I can’t put it into words of what it means, especially having Rory here – it’s his first time at anything and he has seen me win.
She added that she would cherish the moment forever, noting, “Give me an opportunity and I will take it every time.
I’m really proud of myself, I rise to the occasion.”
The victory came after Sherrock won the right to throw first by being closest to the bull. She opened with a 180—only the third maximum of the night—before hitting double 20 to finish the match in 15 darts. Littler, who has claimed the PDC World Championship in each of the past two years, praised the effort, calling her performance “world class.”
For the event, 25,000 people applied to participate. Players had to demonstrate their skill by clearing 501 in 24 darts, followed by an interview with a panel including Barry Hearn, Phil Taylor, and Laura Turner. While 16 participants were chosen outright, others were selected through a fan-voting process. The competition format was designed to bring darts to a new audience, featuring celebrity hosts like Gary Lineker, Lee Mack, and Richard Osman. There had been 25,000 applicants who had entered the competition. With those successful then facing a three-person interview panel, including 16-time world champion Phil Taylor, PDC president Barry Hearn and darts television pundit Laura Turner, the first stage saw players have to get down from 501 in 24 darts or less. Twenty players were due to play at the event. She had picked up £25,000 for reaching round three of the PDC World Championship at Alexandra Palace seven years ago after beating Ted Evetts and Mensur Suljovic before losing to Chris Dobey. According to for most of the night, Littler cruised through the competition as he went in search of the £501,000, which he had, He would donate to charity. Who retired as the main PDC master of ceremonies after the 2026 World Championship final, announcing the players before their elaborate walk-ons, this was a fun event, although most players came nowhe, with John McDonald. Although everyone was keen to make the most of the experience, some of Littler’s opponents had never played a competitive game of darts. But there were still entertaining moments. But Sherrock, whose participation in the competition had been questioned because of her past achievements in the sport, was the real winner, even if she had been described by Lineker as a “hairdresser from Milton Keynes”.
Throughout the evening, Littler defeated 14 opponents, though several posed challenges. Fourteen-year-old Jayden Walker impressed the crowd before Littler responded with a 158 checkout to win in 12 darts. Another competitor, 21-year-old Pearse Mackle, also came close to causing an upset but missed the match-winning bullseye. Other notable entrants included 18-year-old binman Taylon Forrester, Australian jockey Zac Spain, and 57-year-old Mark Pooke. But this was darts with a difference, the packed crowd in Manchester was in boisterous mood with many fans in fancy dress. While Sherrock was celebrating, Ireland’s ‘Fierce’ Pearse Mackle, a 21-year-old university student from County Cavan, was left wondering what could have been. But Littler showed he was in no mood to mess about, hitting treble 20s against her with his first two darts on his way to an easy win, the first challenger was 16-year-old Kasey Smith from Manchester. A year 10 pupil from Dorset, threw off a school blazer and tie to reveal his darts outfit and, as the third-highest ranked player, threatened to cause a huge shock, fourteen-year-old Jayden Walker. Taylon Forrester, 18, described himself as a “binman who works with his dad” and he jumped out of a dumpster on his way to the oche. A jockey from Melbourne, Australia, Frenchman Theodore Wallich, who dubbed himself the ‘Moustache Kid’, 57-year-old Mark Pooke, another 14-year-old in Makinley Cooper-Johnson and Will K, other entrants included Zac Spain.
As the event progressed, fatigue began to set in for Littler, who had been on stage for more than two hours. Sherrock successfully exploited this drop in standard to clinch the £501,000 cheque, presented to her by Barry Hearn. Her victory immediately concluded the competition, leaving five remaining amateurs unable to compete for the prize.
Sherrock previously made history as the first female player to beat a male opponent at the PDC World Championship, reaching the last 32 in December 2019.
That performance earned her £25,000, led to the nickname ‘The Queen of the Palace’, and contributed to her receiving an MBE in 2023. Despite her past success, her participation in the current event had been subject to some scrutiny, though she ultimately proved her capability on the biggest stage of the night.
