Luke Littler is playing at the World Darts Championship for only the second time, but he is favourite to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy.
It is 12 months since Littler made a remarkable run to the final as a 16-year-old, taking a 4-2 lead against Luke Humphries before then losing the next five sets.
Littler and Humphries are on the same side of the draw this time and could meet in the semi-finals, with the two Lukes very much the players to beat at Alexandra Palace.
In his first year on the big stage, Littler won the Premier League title and backed it up with victory at the Grand Slam of Darts last month, thrashing Martin Lukeman 16-3 in the final to take home £150,000.
Humphries began his world title defence on the opening night of the tournament, easing past Thibault Tricol, and Littler will soon get his chance to deliver in front of the Ally Pally crowd.
When is Luke Littler playing at World Darts Championship?
The top 32 players from the PDC Order of Merit enter the World Darts Championship at the second-round stage, so Littler must wait to learn his opponent.
The 17-year-old knows his opening clash will be played on Saturday December 21, with it confirmed that his will be the third match of the evening session, which gets underway at 7pm GMT.
It could prove to be a blockbuster occasion, with Fallon Sherrock a potential opponent.
The ‘Queen of the Palace’ takes on Ryan Meikle in the first round - the winner of that will go through to face Littler on Saturday night.
