Regional heats for a new Netflix darts show featuring rising star Luke Littler wrapped up in Manchester this weekend. The event, hosted by former England footballer and TV presenter Gary Lineker, took place at the Manchester Central Convention Complex and will be streamed on Netflix on October 30. This follows a high-profile leg of the competition held last week in London, where thousands of players gathered for a chance to win £501,000 in prize money. The Manchester event attracted players from around the world, including competitors from Australia and India, who had to go through a demanding three-stage qualification process. In the first stage, participants were required to "check out 501" — a common scoring term in darts meaning hitting a specific combination of numbers that adds up to 501 — in 24 darts or fewer. This is a standard test used to gauge a player's accuracy and skill. The second stage involved interviews with the show’s production team, where players were assessed on their personality and ability to engage with audiences. The final stage was the most critical, as participants faced a panel of three notable figures in darts: 16-time world champion Phil Taylor, PDC (Professional Darts Corporation) chief Barry Hearn, and Sky Sports commentator Laura Turner. The panel evaluated the players' darting skills and their potential to provide a credible challenge to Luke Littler. Only 20 players will be selected to advance to the live show at the end of October, where they will have the chance to win the life-changing prize of £501,000. Phil Taylor, one of the most decorated players in darts history, expressed confidence that the level of talent in Manchester would be just as high as in London. He noted that the chance to face Littler and compete for such a large prize was a strong motivator for the players. Taylor also warned that Littler would need to perform at his peak to avoid an unexpected victory by one of the amateurs.