'Beating Luke Littler will change my daughter's life'

A Hereford dad is hoping to succeed in a huge darts challenge and win £501,000 by beating world champion, Luke Littler.

Zac Griffiths, 25, is among 24 amateur players chosen to take part in Netflix's live special 'Beat Luke Littler', which will be broadcast from the Manchester Central Convention Complex on 30 October.

Each contestant will face Littler in a single leg of 501, with anyone who beats the two-time world champion landing the £501,000 prize before the competition comes to an immediate end.

Griffiths said winning the prize money "would be life-changing" for both himself, and his 20-month-old daughter, Raya.

"To set a life up for my daughter is the main goal and to be able to do that after Friday would be a massive achievement.

"[I'd love] to be able to spend the rest of my life mortgage free, and give back to the people around me [like] my mum, my step-dad, my brother, all the people who have shaped me to get me to this point."

"My daughter is only 20-months old, so she doesn't fully understand what's going on," he said.

"I'm sure if she could say anything, she'd like daddy's bank account to be a bit heavier as well," he laughed.

Griffiths said having a full-time job as an electrical engineer and a young daughter has meant he hasn't been able to get as much training in as he would have liked.

"I've been playing so long that I think it's a lot of natural ability and muscle memory."

He added: "I've definitely been trying to put a few extra hours on the board and just kind of lock in for the last few weeks."

However, Griffiths admits that the outcome is all down to luck on the day.

"It's one of those evenings where if it's your time, it's your time, kind of thing," he said. "If it's going to happen, it will happen."

A win isn't impossible for amateur darts player Griffiths though, as he's come close to beating Littler before.

He took him on in The 2023 PDC Development Tour, a competition for emerging young players.

"I lost 4-2, but we did go 2-2... I think I did go 1-0 up, so all we've got to do is recreate that again."

"Obviously, that was a different Luke at the time, but it was also a different me as well."

"I back myself, like I'm sure the other 23 contestants do", he said.

Griffiths added that under the lights and the cameras, the nerves and pressure might get to him.

"It will be a totally new thing that I haven't experienced, that Luke has experienced before.

"Hopefully we can channel that pressure into focus and come away with a result."

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