Darts Star Luke Littler Tops PM in 2024 Google Search Trends

Darts sensation Luke Littler has stated he “can’t quite believe” that he has appeared higher than both the prime minister and the King in Google’s most searched for lists for 2024. The 17-year-old talent was previously unknown before gaining prominence in January as the youngest competitor to reach the World Darts Championship final. He has since ascended to fourth in the world rankings, and his widespread recognition has placed him as the third most searched person on Google in the UK for 2024, behind only Catherine, Princess of Wales, and US president elect Donald Trump. He also secured the leading position as the most searched athlete on the search engine, an achievement he described as “a proud moment” in what he called “an amazing year.” A peak television audience of 3.7 million viewers watched the then-16-year-old’s appearance in the final. He was defeated by world number one Luke Humphries, seven sets to four, but received £200,000 as the runner-up. Later that same month, he defeated Michael van Gerwen to win the Bahrain Darts Masters, securing his first Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) senior title. The event also marked him becoming the youngest individual to achieve a nine-dart finish on live television, which is considered one of the sport’s highest accomplishments, requiring a player to score the necessary 501 points in the fewest possible darts. In May, Littler claimed the 2024 Premier League Darts, his inaugural major PDC title, and in November, he won the Grand Slam of Darts, marking his first major ranking title. Statistics from the corporation revealed increased online interest in Littler following each victory, with even his first-round exit during his World Grand Prix debut in October appearing in searches. Littler, who competes under the nickname The Nuke, remarked that it had been “an amazing year for me personally, and for the sport of darts as a whole.” He added, “To be recognised in two Year in Search lists is a huge honour.” He further stated, “I can’t quite believe I’m trending higher than both the prime minister and the King in the ‘People’ category—and in a year of such great sporting achievements, it’s a proud moment for me to be the top trending athlete in 2024.” Google’s most searched people in UK in 2024 Google’s most searched for athletes in UK in 2024 Google’s Year in Search lists were also influenced by the announcement of rock superstars Oasis’s return for a 2025 tour. The Mancunian legends topped the list of most searched musicians, ahead of Sabrina Carpenter, One Direction, Dave Grohl, and Raye, while “how to get Oasis tickets” was the second most searched question, surpassed only by “how to vote in the UK.” Matt Cooke from the Google News Initiative commented that 2024 had been “a year of comebacks, curiosity, and community.” He observed, “Whether it’s fans reuniting for Oasis, young sports stars like Luke Littler making waves, or Brits voting in everything from elections to Eurovision, these searches show a nation full of passion and interest.” He concluded, “It’s amazing to see what captivated the UK, and it’s always a privilege to highlight these moments in our Year in Search.”