Luke
Humphries
Luke
Humphries
2
12
12
2
- Nickname: Cool Hand
- Walk-on: I Predict A Riot by Kaiser Chiefs
- Major PDC singles titles: 8
- Premier League best: Winner (2025)
- Last season: Champion
The hunter becomes the hunted as Luke Humphries enters the 2026 BetMGM Premier League not as the soaring world number one but as defending champion with a point to prove.
Less than 12 months ago, Cool Hand stood on the O2 stage having defeated arch nemesis Luke Littler 11-8 to claim his first BetMGM Premier League title and complete the fabled triple crown of darts.
The landscape has shifted since.
Humphries arrives in Newcastle for Night 1 as the reigning Premier League and World Masters champion… but having relinquished his world number one spot to the relentless Littler.
The end of his 2025 season was bruising, with successive early major exits at the Players Championship Finals and World Darts Championship following European Championship and Grand Slam final defeats.
For a player who had dominated the sport since late 2023, it was a stark reminder of how quickly the tide can turn on the oche.
This year seven elite competitors are lined up to deny Humphries a repeat title, including back-to-back world champion Littler and seven-time Premier League king Michael van Gerwen.
Can the man who conquered the world rediscover his aura of invincibility?
Below you can find out more about Humphries ahead of the blockbuster 17-night 2026 BetMGM Premier League Darts season, which kicks off on 5th February at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle.
Luke Humphries History
Humphries’ world-class potential was undeniable after a flawless 6-0 victory over Adam Gawlas in the 2019 PDC World Youth Championship final – but his transition to the senior ranks required immense dedication.
After last-eight appearances at the World Darts Championship, a run to his first televised final at the 2021 UK Open was a crucial taste of the big time and proved he could battle with the sport's elite.
The true turning point arrived in the autumn of 2023, when Cool Hand landed his first major title at the World Grand Prix.
That victory kick-started one of the most dominant spells in recent darting history and he added the Grand Slam and the Players Championship Finals titles in a stunning trophy burst before the calendar had switched to 2024.
He carried that form into the 2024 World Darts Championship, cementing his status as the best player on the planet by defeating the phenomenal Littler in a final for the ages to become world champion and world number one in one fell swoop.
A World Cup win followed and four more singles majors followed, including the 2025 BetMGM Premier League where he once again bested Littler in the showpiece.
Now an eight-time singles major champion and defending BetMGM Premier League Darts titlist, Humphries enters the 2026 season as a strong second favourite and value hunters will be eyeing his odds knowing the calibre of player that lurks beneath the surface.
Luke Humphries Stats
Humphries has shattered records and joined elite company on his rise to the top. Here are some of his key career statistics:
- In 2019, Humphries won the PDC World Youth Championship by defeating Adam Gawles 6-0 in the final
- Humphries made his first televised final in the 2021 UK Open. He beat Dave Chisnall and Michael van Gerwen before losing to James Wade 11-5 in the showpiece
- In 2023, Humphries won the Players Championship Finals, Grand Slam of Darts and the World Grand Prix
- Cool Hand added the world title to his list of honours in January 2024 before lifting the World Matchplay and making three more major finals, including the 2024 BetMGM Premier League
- Humphries and Michael Smith became the first English winners of the World Cup of Darts since 2016 when they won the trophy in June 2024
- Later the same year he became only the third player in history, after Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen, to win the Players Championship Finals title in two consecutive years
- Humphries added the Masters to his set of major titles in February 2025 and followed that up with a BetMGM Premier League victory in May
- His Premier League win catapulted Cool Hand into elite darting company; it ensured he followed Taylor, Van Gerwen and Gary Anderson in completing the PDC triple crown (winning the World Championship, World Matchplay and Premier League)
Luke Humphries Titles
The former world champion has earned plenty of accolades across his career, including:
- PDC World Championship – 2024
- BetMGM Premier League – 2025
- World Matchplay – 2024
- World Masters – 2025
- Grand Slam of Darts – 2023
- World Grand Prix – 2023
- Players Championship Finals (2) – 2023, 2024
- World Cup of Darts - 2024
- PDC World Youth Championship – 2019
Related Players
Luke Humphries will battle plenty of familiar faces during the 2026 BetMGM Premier League Darts season.
As well as current world champion Littler, the competition includes two other former PDC world titlists in Van Gerwen and Price.
Completing the stellar lineup for 2026 is former Masters champion Stephen Bunting, 2021 Premier League winner Jonny Clayton, European champion Gian van Veen and World Cup winner Josh Rock.
Read more about the other 2026 BetMGM Premier League Darts participants below. It’s showtime!