Dennis Priestley expects Luke Littler to reach unprecedented heights in the coming years, both on the oche and financially.

The two-time world champion even believes the 19-year-old Englishman could eventually build a fortune greater than that of former football star David Beckham. Phil Taylor also sees an extraordinary future for “The Nuke”, although the 16-time world champion warns that Littler will have to make sacrifices along the way.

Priestley, who claimed the first world title of the PDC era in 1994 with a 6-1 victory over Taylor, has watched the sport change dramatically since his own playing days. The world champion received £16,000 back then, while Littler earned a staggering £1 million for defending his title last January.

In the book Champions: The Golden Age of Darts From Priestley to Littler, Priestley expresses his admiration for today’s generation of players. "If I had the chance to do it all again, I would throw like Luke Littler, Luke Humphries or Adrian Lewis, who was maybe the first player to make it look so simple and fluid."

Luke Littler has already thrown his way to millions in a short space of time

“He has another 20 or 30 years ahead of him”

Priestley says it is almost impossible to predict which records Littler might eventually set. The Englishman has already won two world titles at the age of 19 and could remain at the top for decades if he chooses.

“We don’t yet know what Littler is going to achieve, and how good he’s going to be, because he’s got another 20 or 30 years ahead of him if he wants it."

The former world champion believes that, with enough discipline, Littler could build an enormous fortune beyond the sport as well. "If he’s still going when he’s 40, and he practises even half as much as Phil, the mind boggles."

Priestley has previously made a striking prediction about the young Englishman’s financial future. "I once said that if he stays grounded, and he can be top of the tree for 10 years, he could be worth more than David Beckham."

Taylor: "If he is prepared to make those sacrifices and live like a monk"

Phil Taylor is also convinced that Littler has the potential to make history. “The Power” won 16 world titles during his career, a record that seemed almost untouchable for years.

Yet Taylor does not rule out Littler surpassing him one day. "Will he overtake my record of 16 World Championship titles? He could do, he’s absolutely fantastic."

The English darts legend would not mind if he did. "Would it bother me? Not at all – records are there to be broken, and I’ve had more publicity since he came on the scene than I ever had when I was winning it."

Taylor says Littler has almost everything he needs to enjoy lasting success. "Luke has got age on his side, he’s got the ability and he’s got a lovely family behind him."

However, Taylor believes the young world champion must manage his career wisely. ""He is so down to earth, such a nice kid, that if he remembers to live a boring life for the next 20 years – steer clear of nightclubs, booze, fast cars and all the normal vices for a young man – the sky’s the limit for him. If he is prepared to make those sacrifices and live like a monk, he could break all sorts of records.”

Littler wants to keep playing for many years

Taylor also expects darts to become increasingly professional. He believes top players will increasingly live like professional tennis players, with their own coaches, nutritionists, masseurs and drivers.

At the same time, he warns that success has its downside. In Taylor’s view, the more Littler wins, the harder it could become to cope with defeat.

For now, Littler has no plans to slow down. In the same book, the two-time world champion makes clear that he wants to keep playing darts for many years. "I’ve got plenty of years ahead of me, and obviously if I’m good at it, I want to keep going."