A peak audience of 2.5m watched the world championship final on Sky as Luke Litter defended his title

If further proof was needed about the burgeoning popularity of Luke Littler and darts, it came with early viewing figures from Barb that showed the 18-year-old’s second world title victory on Saturday night was watched by a peak audience of 2.5m on Sky.

They are huge numbers in a sport that, not so long ago, would have been delighted with anything over a million. That is the Littler effect in action. But after thrashing the Dutch player Gian van Veen 7-1 in the final, he promised that his latest success – and the £1m first prize, a record for his sport – would not change him.

• Littler beats Gian van Veen 7-1 to retain his crown

• World No 1 ate pizza at Alexandra Palace before final

Luke Littler has warned his rivals that he intends to be around for a very long time – and win plenty more PDC world titles – after adding a second crown by defeating the Dutchman Gian van Veen in a one-sided demolition.

And the 18-year-old didn’t entirely rule out chasing down Phil Taylor’s record of 16 world titles after emphatically proving himself as the best darts player on the planet again by winning 7-1.

The teenager was expected to be tested by Gian van Veen but the only thing to ruffle him was the Ally Pally wasp

Few sports stars in history are so precocious that their place in the pantheon is assured by the time they are 18. Pelé was one. Nadia Comaneci another. Boris Becker too. Now you can add Luke Littler to that list.

Most experts had expected Gian van Veen to give Littler a proper test. He did. For three sets. Then this final became a rout. After his 7-1 dismantling, Van Veen was asked whether Littler was unstoppable. “It felt like it,” came the sad reply.