
Australian Darts Masters LIVE RESULTS: Luke Littler edges past home favourite Heta in thrilling quarter-final
The Nuke fought hard to eventually beat Heta 6-3 after falling behind after the third leg.
Elsewhere, Stephen Bunting whitewashed Josh Rock, Gerwyn Price plays Chris Dobey later, and reigning champion Luke Humphries faces Mike de Decker.
Follow ALL of the latest from Down Under below...
8th Aug 2025, 09:59 By Kieran Davies
Mike De Decker vs Brandon Weening
First up today we have Belgian Mike De Decker.
On his day he can be a match for anyone on the tour.
However, if he has an off day there is more than a chance for Weening to upset the odds.
8th Aug 2025, 09:48 By Kieran Davies
Walking in a Littler wonderland
The bookies are backing the teenage sensation for another victory down under this weekend:
Luke Littler 11/8
Gerwyn Price 4/1
Luke Humphries 4/1
Josh Rock 7/1
Stephen Bunting 10/1
Chris Dobey 16/1
Damon Heta 16/1
Mike de Decker 20/1
Haupai Puha 150/1
Simon Whitlock 200/1
Brandon Weening 250/1
Jonny Tata 250/1
Joe Comito 300/1
Tim Pusey 350/1
Brody Klinge 400/1
James Bailey 400/1
All odds are brought to you by Betway.
8th Aug 2025, 09:41 By Kieran Davies
Australian Darts Masters format
The Australian Darts Masters includes a total of 16 players.
Eight of those will be representatives of the PDC, while the other eight will be qualifiers from the Oceanic region.
The tournament will be played across a first round, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in a knockout format.
First round matches are best of 11 legs and it's the same for the quarters before things change in the latter stages.
The semi-finals are best of 13 legs and the final is best of 15.
8th Aug 2025, 09:30 By Nyle Smith
Home hero Heta
Damon Heta will no doubt get a thunderous reception when he steps to the oche this weekend.
The Aussie sensation takes to the crowd in Australia as the only PDC representative.
He won the tournament back in 2019, and will be looking to do it once again in 2025.
By Nyle Smith
Luke out
Luke Littler returns to the oche this weekend.
The world No 2 picked up yet another title in Blackpool, becoming a Triple Crown winner with his victory over James Wade at Winter Gardens.
The next goal for Littler will be closing down Luke Humphries as world No 1.
Can he get closer with victory this weekend?
8th Aug 2025, 09:00 By Nyle Smith
Prize money revealed
Compared to last year's tournament, there has been a significant increase in the prize pool.
It has now risen from £60,000 to a substantial £100,000.
Here is a full breakdown of the pot:
8th Aug 2025, 08:59 By Nyle Smith
First round fixtures
(From 10am BST)
Round One (Best of 11 legs)
Mike De Decker v Brandon Weening
Gerwyn Price v Joe Comito
Stephen Bunting v Brody Klinge
Luke Humphries v Jonny Tata
Damon Heta v James Bailey
Luke Littler v Haupai Puha
Josh Rock v Simon Whitlock
Chris Dobey v Tim Pusey
8th Aug 2025, 08:59 By Nyle Smith
Bullseye!
Welcome to SunSport's official coverage of the Australian Darts Masters - and it promises to be nothing short of thrilling as the world's best head Down Under.
Luke Littler returns to Australia after making his Oceanic debut last year, looking for redemption.
Many of darts ' biggest names will feature in the blockbuster event, along with eight qualifiers from the local region.
At last year's Australian Masters, the teenage sensation went all the way to the final, but missed out on another trophy following an 8-1 defeat to Gerwyn Price.
After an exceptional World Matchplay victory in July, Littler will be fired up to add another title to his collection.
He'll be joined Down Under by defending champion Price, World No1 Luke Humphries, and home favourite Damon Heta, in what promises to be another thrilling edition of the Australian Masters.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
A love supreme: this Sunderland fan in Australia is happy to embrace nocturnal fandom
Long-term relationships often come with sporting baggage. He gave me Sunderland and I gave him Adelaide Crows. One of us has done much better in this deal. When we first started dating, I remember asking him, an Englishman, which Premier League team he supported. He was very well spoken so I was expecting a London club, or, because everyone else seemed to support them, one of the glamour teams. So, when he said Sunderland, he caught me off guard. He explained. Sunderland isn't a team you choose – it chooses you, whether you like it or not. It gets passed on. 'My dad was born near Roker Park … it's in the blood.' I liked that answer. Norwood Football Club is in my blood. When my Papou died, the hearse drove down the Norwood Parade in Adelaide so he could have one last look at the footy ground. And now that we have a son, I like that he has passed on Sunderland, for better or for worse, to our boy. Unfortunately, there has been a lot more of the worse than the better. Following from more than 16,000km away in Australia only exacerbates the cruelty. Setting your alarm for 5am and watching your team get beaten on a regular basis is not my idea of fun. At least being in a cult dangles the carrot of salvation. Sunderland's fanzine is called A Love Supreme. It's an apt name for a supporter base whose devotion has been pushed to its absolute limits yet somehow still stayed strong. That love has never been more tested than over this past decade. If there was silverware for heartache, torment and despair, Sunderland's trophy cabinet would be bulging. Their downfall has been as spectacular as it has been swift. In 2017 they finished bottom of the Premier League. The following season, in 2018, they somehow managed to repeat the feat in the Championship. And then, just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, they spent three seasons threatening, but never quite managing to get out of League One. Three seasons trapped in footballing limbo, where no one can hear you scream. In 2022, in their fourth season in League One, Sunderland finally won in the playoffs to climb back up to the Championship. One statistic sums up the stability of the club perfectly: since 2017 Sunderland have had 18 managers (including caretakers). Yet during all the disappointments, fiascos and failures, the fans still turned out. Here's another remarkable statistic: the club finished with the highest average attendances in each year during their time in League One – and for each year in the Championship. But as loyal as the fanbase is, it craves success. If you've seen the 2018 Netflix documentary, Sunderland 'Til I Die, you'll know what this club means to its fans. From its first historic home, Roker Park in 1898, and on to the Stadium of Light in 1997, Sunderland AFC has been part of the city's DNA – its heartbeat. This city has endured plenty of economic hardships since the collapse of its once thriving shipbuilding, and coal mining industries – and is still doing it tough. Despite this, the one collective sense of pride has always been its football club. Its success – and failure – is felt deeply by all. It's in the blood. So, in the early hours of 26 May, while the rest of our neighbourhood slept, we sat in front of the TV, stomachs churning, watching the Championship playoff final at Wembley. Sunderland v Sheffield United. After eight years, one match away from a return to the biggest football league in the world. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Sunderland scored the winning goal in the last minute of time added on. For once a fairytale ending – and it felt just as magical, the final whistle acting like a flick of the wand, its shower of fairy dust magically erasing a decade of pain. There is no way we didn't wake the neighbours. Now the glittering lights of the Premier League await – which explains the new addition to my morning routine. As I make my son's lunch for school with the kettle brewing, I check the summer transfer market. The last time I did this, my son, who is soon to be a teen, was crawling. Granit Xhaka, the former Arsenal midfielder, is moving to Wearside. Fist pump! We need premiership experience. He joins a squad bolstered by eight (at the time of writing), mostly young, exciting additions. We've been busy – and for once we seem to be ahead of things. For a club whose motto this past decade could have been, Hope Springs Eternal, we seem, dare I say it, to be making the right kind of moves. The bookies have us as favourites to go straight back down but, to steal a line from the terraces, 'that's utter bollocks'. Now is not the time for negativity. Now is the time to embrace the nocturnal hours. Now is the time to luxuriate in the build-up, now is the time to check out the new home and away strip (love it!), to pour over the fixtures (first up West Ham at home. Brilliant. Three points in the bag). Now is the time to dream. The wilderness years are over, and the Black Cats are back. Their devoted fans are back too, soon to fill the best stadiums in England with their roar and their anthem – the sweet sound of Elvis's, Can't Help Falling In Love. Amen to that. The countdown to midnight 17 August has begun.


Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Daniel Ricciardo reveals the VERY surprising things he refuses to keep in his house - even though they're very close to his heart
Aussie superstar Daniel Ricciardo achieved 8 Formula 1 Grand Prix wins and 32 podium finishes during his 13-year career - but his house is devoid of racing mementos and memorabilia. Ricciardo was let go by Racing Bulls after the 2024 Singapore GP, with Red Bull's advisor Helmut Marko explaining that the Aussie was no longer showing the 'killer instinct' he had displayed earlier in his racing career. The 36-year-old is now enjoying time away from the sport and has revealed that he doesn't like to be reminded of his many racing achievements while at home. 'It's funny, I don't really like having my racing stuff in my house,' Ricciardo told Mel McLaughlin at Ray White's Connect Conference on Monday. 'If my parents have some of me in their house, that's fine. 'I'm still quite shy with some of the achievements.' The beloved Aussie also joked about why he was now sporting a thick beard. 'Well, I haven't been shaving my face,' he said. 'The beard is my comfort right now. 'I had a fallout with my barber and then I lost my razor. It's been a tough six months.' Ricciardo bid farewell to what he described as a 'wild and wonderful' career, having become one of the most popular drivers in the sport. But like many athletes, stepping away from the fast-paced, rock and roll lifestyle that is professional sport, Ricciardo explained he struggled to adjust to life away from the glitz and glamour of Formula One. 'I've lived this crazy, high-speed life for so long, and I just sat into a little bit of stillness,' Ricciardo explained. 'I suddenly wasn't always surrounded by a ton of people giving their opinions and thoughts.' After the rigours of being a professional racing driver had encompassed his life for so long, Ricciardo explained he was now doing a bit of soul searching in order to understand who he truly was, while also admitting he was learning to become more magnanimous. 'I've had a lot of time, I've done some hiking. I was in Alaska a few weeks ago and didn't get mauled by a grizzly which was a bonus. 'I've been trying to figure out who I am other than this race car driver. 'I've come to appreciate the little things more and the meaning of the importance of family and friends. 'I've always been driven, and that sometimes leads you to being selfish, so I'm trying to learn to be a bit more selfless and become a better listener.' Ricciardo cut a philosophical figure as the Australian also delved into his sacking. As yet, Ricciardo has not opened up on his plans for the future. Since his departure from AlphaTauri there has been speculation that he might step back into racing in some capacity. However, it appears he is resigned to the fact that his time in Formula One has ended. While he never got to become a world champion, the ever-humble Australian spoke of his pride at his achievements in the sport. 'I never thought I would have this career. I never thought I'd be here, you know? That's the truth,' he explained. 'Yes, my dream was to be world champion, and there were years along the way where I genuinely felt like it was gonna happen. 'I got close, that's OK. 'If I were a world champion sitting here today, would it change how I feel or how I view myself, or anything like that? I don't think so. 'Maybe my ego would be big. We don't want that. I have no regrets.'


Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Why sporting icon Cathy Freeman is set to make a rare public appearance in front of thousands of fans
Aussie sporting icon Cathy Freeman will make a rare public appearance this weekend as the South Sydney Rabbitohs honour the legacy of the Olympic gold medallist during their Indigenous Round clash against Parramatta. Freeman, 52, will ring the club's legacy bell pre-game at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, with fellow Indigenous sporting great and former Bunnies star Greg Inglis to then lead the team onto the field. It comes after the hero of the 2000 Sydney Games joined the Rabbitohs in the sheds following their historic 2014 grand final triumph. At the time, Freeman shared a photo with Inglis, which she labelled 'the best sporting moment of my life'. Footy fans in the Harbour City are in for a treat this weekend as the Moore Park venue hosts four games across three days, including one NRLW fixture, as part of the NRL 's Gadhu Gathering. Besides looking to avoid the wooden spoon, South Sydney will be motivated given their NRL squad features 11 Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander players. Freeman (pictured at the 2000 Games) will ring the club's legacy bell pre-game at Allianz Stadium in Sydney One is rising backrower Tallis Duncan, who was born two years after Freeman's iconic victory in the 400m final at Sydney Olympic Park. 'I've only seen her on murals and in YouTube videos, so she's definitely someone I look forward to meeting,' he said this week. 'To be able to be run out by 'GI' (Inglis) and to have Cathy ring the bell... it's pretty cool. I (also) reckon it was pretty amazing what she (Freeman) did.' In June, Freeman announced she was starring in a music video with an Aussie rapper, which gave her a feeling of 'deep cultural pride'. Freeman told her Instagram followers she was poised to appear in the clip with Nooky, an Indigenous hip-hop star who hails from the NSW south coast. It followed a turbulent time in Freeman's private life, after splitting from her husband of 15 years James Murch in August last year. They released a joint statement announcing they were parting ways and will continue co-parenting their daughter Ruby. 'After 15 years of marriage we have unfortunately separated. We continue co-parenting and this is our greatest priority,' the statement read. Freeman captivated the nation 25 years ago as she lit the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony in Sydney - before overcoming immense expectation to snare gold on the track as Australia - and the world - watched on.