Luke Littler forced to follow unique World Grand Prix rule he admits he ‘doesn’t like’
Luke Littler and his fellow World Grand Prix competitors will have to contend with a unique rule during the tournament.
Reigning champion Littler gets his 2026 campaign under way against Luke Woodhouse in Leicester this evening (September 28), with the teenager vying to pocket the £150,000 winner’s prize. A total prize pot of £750,000 is up for grabs across the tournament.
In order to reign supreme, Littler must overcome the ‘double-in, double-out’ format, something he has previously admitted that he "doesn’t like" too much.
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What is the unique rule Luke Littler ‘doesn’t like’?
The ‘double-in, double-out’ format means players must start all legs on a double rather than scoring anywhere on the board.
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For example, if a player lands a single 20 with their first dart, it counts for zero. However, if the player hits a double 20 to score 40, they are ‘in’. Any darts thrown before a player hits a double count for nothing.
Every leg still begins with each player on 501, with players required to reduce their score to zero. The inner bullseye scores 50 and counts as double 25.
Players can also go bust if they score more points than they have remaining, leave a score of one or reach zero without hitting a double.
Speaking in October 2025, Littler admitted that he wasn’t the biggest fan of the ‘double in double out’ rule.
"I'll be honest, I didn't like it. I didn't like the double start,” he said.
“I think it's obviously one of the toughest tournaments to win, with the Worlds, the Matchplay, the Premier League. But the double start: if you don't get off, then you're in trouble.
"I can't say I really practice the double start often but obviously leading up to it I think I'll have to, just get used to it. Every year we'll see someone hit a treble 20 first out and then they forget.”
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What are the other rules at the World Grand Prix?
Each set is the best of five legs, with first-round matches played over the best of three sets before this increases to the best of five sets in the second round.
The quarter-finals follow the same format before the semi-finals are played over the best of nine sets. The final is the best of 11 sets.
The competition comprises 32 entrants, including PDC Order of Merit frontrunner Littler, second-placed Luke Humphries and other big names such as Gian van Veen and Gerwyn Price.
Darts World Grand Prix schedule
First round
Monday, September 28 – 6pm
- Danny Noppert v Niko Springer
- Ross Smith v Cameron Menzies
- Nathan Aspinall v Kevin Doets
- Jonny Clayton v Krzysztof Ratajski
- Gerwyn Price v Sebastian Bialecki
- Michael van Gerwen v Ryan Joyce
- Luke Littler v Luke Woodhouse
- Wessel Nijman v Rob Cross
Tuesday, September 29 – 6pm
- Chris Dobey v Jermaine Wattimena
- Ryan Searle v William O'Connor
- Josh Rock v Niels Zonneveld
- James Wade v Joe Cullen
- Gary Anderson v Damon Heta
- Gian van Veen v Dirk van Duijvenbode
- Luke Humphries v Dave Chisnall
- Stephen Bunting v Andrew Gilding
Second round
Wednesday, September 30 – 7pm
- Littler/Woodhouse v Aspinall/Doets
- Noppert/Springer v Van Gerwen/Joyce
- Price/Bialecki v Smith/Menzies
- Clayton/Ratajski v Nijman/Cross
Thursday, October 1 – 7pm
- Humphries/Chisnall v Dobey/Wattimena
- Rock/Zonneveld v Anderson/Heta
- Van Veen/Van Duijvenbode v Searle/O'Connor
- Wade/Cullen v Bunting/Gilding
Quarter-finals: Friday, October 2 – 7pm
Semi-finals: Saturday, October 3 – 8pm
Final: Sunday, October 4 – 8pm
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Luke Davies