Darts referee raking in thousands as Luke Littler helps genius side hustle take off

Iconic darts caller Russ Bray admits his side hustle is booming due to the ' effect'. The 67-year-old makes a tidy living through his various ventures, despite stepping down from his full-time PDC duties after the 2024 final.

Littler has accumulated an impressive personal fortune for a teenager. He scooped up £500,000 for winning the world title in January and has landed a range of sponsorship deals since becoming a nationally recognisable figure. But 'The Nuke' isn't the only one to benefit, as his huge popularity has made darts a more lucrative business for all involved.

Just ask Bray. A few years ago he helped launch a darts app which allows users to record their scores, with his iconic voice calling the numbers. And while it was always reliable for a bit of extra cash, it has now morphed into a solid earner.

Bray told : "A guy got hold of me from up north and asked if he could do a Russ Bray darts app. I said, 'How much is it going to cost me?' He said, 'Nothing. All you've got to do is record names and numbers'. So I did that and he set it all up.

"It's become one of the most successful apps on Apple. I make £12-13k a year from that on average. And when you talk about the Luke Littler effect, last year I probably earned £30k from it. Luke Littler has brought darts to the fore."

The annual £30k is no drop in the ocean for Bray, who admits he made around £120k in his best year as a freelance caller. Since taking a step back from his on-stage PDC duties, he now works as an ambassador for the corporation and calls matches at World Series events.

Bray, who says he would 'sit back, relax and enjoy' in a 'nice place in Spain' if he won the lottery, picks up a decent pension in semi-retirement due to his former job as a policeman. His fame has also opened other doors.

Voiceovers have been particularly good business. He said: "I did one in 2009 for a McCoy's crisps advert that paid £15k for six months. That ran for three years, so every six months I got 15 grand."

Alongside his successful darts app, Bray makes a killing from sending out well-wishes to fans. He explained: "I also still do the personalised video messages for Cameo. I've got four to do today. I get £37.50 per 30-second Cameo advert and have done £18k's worth."