Luke Littler won £1 million for taking the 2025/26 Paddy Power World Darts Championship, which concluded in January 2026. But there is no reliable basis for saying he will lose almost half of it to tax: the UK’s top income-tax rates are marginal, and the available sources do not establish Littler’s tax residence, taxable income, deductions or financial arrangements.
What did Littler win?
The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) announced a £5 million total prize fund for the 2025/26 championship, with £1 million for the winner. The tournament had 128 players. Littler beat Gian van Veen to retain his title, according to the Professional Darts Players Association (PDPA). The edition is often called the 2026 championship because it finished in January 2026; it was not a future event.
PDC tournament announcement · PDPA championship recap
Does the 45% tax rate mean £450,000 comes off the prize?
No. A 45% marginal income-tax rate is not a flat deduction from every pound someone earns. It applies only to the portion of taxable income above the relevant threshold, subject to the applicable tax rules. Multiplying £1 million by 45% would produce £450,000, but that is only a flat-rate illustration—not evidence of the tax Littler owes or of money withheld from his prize.
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HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) lists a 45% additional rate on taxable non-savings, non-dividend income above £125,140 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for both 2025/26 and 2026/27. Scotland has a different income-tax schedule, including a 48% top rate above £125,140 in those tax years. These are statutory marginal rates, not personalized estimates.
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Why can’t the final tax bill be calculated from the prize amount?
A person’s final tax liability depends on more than one prize figure. Relevant details include their tax jurisdiction, total taxable income, how income is classified, applicable allowances, deductible expenses where relevant, and any business or company arrangements. The sources available do not establish the personal facts needed to calculate Littler’s liability, and they do not show whether any tax was withheld from the prize.
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The championship concluded in January 2026, during the UK 2025/26 tax year. That timing identifies the tax-year context, but it does not by itself determine how the prize is treated or what Littler ultimately pays. HMRC’s current rates page, updated 6 April 2026, also lists 2026/27 rates; the tax year matters when discussing thresholds, but neither year’s headline rate supplies an individual calculation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What can be said with confidence?
- Littler won the 2025/26 championship and its £1 million winner’s prize.
- The event’s published total prize fund was £5 million.
- HMRC’s published top marginal rate is 45% above £125,140 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, while Scotland’s top rate is 48% above that threshold.
- Those rates do not establish Littler’s tax residence, effective rate, tax bill or amount withheld.
The Associated Press reported that Target Darts sponsors Littler, makes his darts and sells related accessories featuring his image and colours. Its report does not establish a current product model or retailer availability, and equipment sponsorship does not provide evidence about his tax bill. Associated Press report on Littler’s sponsorship.
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