Littler emulated Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson by becoming the fourth player to retain the coveted Sid Waddell Trophy, averaging 106 to dispatch Dutch star Van Veen 7-1 in just over 43 minutes of play.
The world number one - featuring in his third consecutive World Championship final - produced a darting masterclass in the capital, crashing in 16 maximums and pinning 46% of his attempts at double to cap off a mesmerising performance.
Van Veen drew first blood after surviving four set darts in a dramatic opening stanza, before moving to the cusp of a two-set lead with consecutive 145 and 127 finishes.
However, Littler - courtesy of a clinical 116 combination - completed the turnaround to level at one apiece, before following up a 116 checkout and an 11-darter with a sensational 170 finish to move 2-1 ahead.
The 18-year-old extended his winning run with a hat-trick of 15-darters in the fourth, and although Van Veen halted Littler’s charge with a sublime top-tops 137 to open set five, this only provided the Dutchman with temporary respite.
Littler produced another six-leg burst to extend his lead to 5-1, and Van Veen was unable to thwart the teenager’s relentless charge, wiring double 16 for a 146 rot-stopper midway through set seven.
The Dutchman then fired in six perfect darts as he fought to halt Littler’s march towards victory, but the Warrington wonderkid wasn’t to be denied, firing in an 11-dart break to edge closer to glory at 6-1.
Littler then moved to the brink of victory with a 14-dart hold midway through set eight, before sealing the deal in sensational style, following up his 16th maximum with a magnificent 147 finish culminating on double 15.
Van Veen succeeded Michael van Gerwen in becoming the new Dutch number one following his remarkable run at Alexandra Palace, dumping out former champions Luke Humphries and Gary Anderson in the process.
The 23-year-old was bidding to follow in the footsteps of Van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld by becoming the third Dutchman to win the sport’s biggest prize, but he was proud of his exploits over the last month.
SATURDAY JANUARY 3rd
THE FINAL
(20.00)
Luke Littler 7-1 Gian van Veen (2-3, 3-2, 3-1, 3-0, 3-1, 3-0, 3-0, 3-1)
SEMI FINALS
(1) Luke Littler 6-1 (20) Ryan Searle
(10) Gian van Veen 6-3 (14) Gary Anderson
QUARTER FINALS
(1) Luke Littler 5-0 Krzysztof Ratajski
(20) Ryan Searle 5-2 (5) Jonny Clayton
(2) Luke Humphries 1-5 (10) Gian van Veen
(14) Gary Anderson 5-2 Justin Hood
FOURTH ROUND
(1) Luke Littler 4-2 (17) Rob Cross
(25) Luke Woodhouse 2-4 Krzysztof Ratajski
James Hurrell 0-4 (20) Ryan Searle
(5) Jonny Clayton 4-2 Andreas Harrysson
(2) Luke Humphries 4-1 Kevin Doets
Charlie Manby 1-4 (10) Gian van Veen
(3) Michael van Gerwen 1-4 (14) Gary Anderson
Justin Hood 4-0 (11) Josh Rock
THIRD ROUND
(1) Luke Littler 4-0 Mensur Suljovic
(16) Damon Heta 0-4 (17) Rob Cross
Andrew Gilding 1-4 (25) Luke Woodhouse
Wesley Plaisier 3-4 Krzysztof Ratajski
(4) Stephen Bunting 3-4 James Hurrell
(13) Martin Schindler 0-4 (20) Ryan Searle
(5) Jonny Clayton 4-3 Niels Zonneveld
Andreas Harrysson 4-2 Ricardo Pietreczko
(2) Luke Humphries 4-2 Gabriel Clemens
(15) Nathan Aspinall 3-4 Kevin Doets
Ricky Evans 2-4 Charlie Manby
(10) Gian van Veen 4-1 Madars Razma
(3) Michael van Gerwen 4-1 Arno Merk
(14) Gary Anderson 4-3 (19) Jermaine Wattimena
Justin Hood 4-1 Ryan Meikle
(11) Josh Rock v (22) Callan Rydz
SECOND ROUND
(1) Luke Littler 3-0 David Davies
(32) Joe Cullen 1-3 Mensur Suljovic
(16) Damon Heta 3-2 Stefan Bellmont
(17) Rob Cross 3-1 Ian White
(8) Chris Dobey 1-3 Andrew Gilding
(25) Luke Woodhouse 3-0 Max Hopp
(9) Gerwyn Price 0-3 Wesley Plaisier
(24) Ryan Joyce 1-3 Krzysztof Ratajski
(4) Stephen Bunting 3-0 Nitin Kumar
(29) Dirk van Duijvenbode 2-3 James Hurrell
(13) Martin Schindler 3-0 Keane Barry
(20) Ryan Searle 3-0 Brendan Dolan
(5) Jonny Clayton W Dom Taylor
(28) Michael Smith 1-3 Niels Zonneveld
Andreas Harrysson 3-0 Motomu Sakai
(21) Dave Chisnall 2-3 Ricardo Pietreczko
(2) Luke Humphries 3-0 Paul Lim
(31) Wessel Nijman 0-3 Gabriel Clemens
(15) Nathan Aspinall 3-0 Leonard Gates
David Munyua 0-3 Kevin Doets
(7) James Wade 2-3 Ricky Evans
Charlie Manby 3-0 Adam Sevada
(10) Gian van Veen 3-1 Alan Soutar
Darren Beveridge 1-3 Madars Razma
(3) Michael van Gerwen 3-1 William O'Connor
(30) Peter Wright 0-3 Arno Merk
(14) Gary Anderson 3-1 Connor Scutt
(19) Jermaine Wattimena 3-2 Scott Williams
(6) Danny Noppert 2-3 Justin Hood
Jonny Tata 2-3 Ryan Meikle
(11) Josh Rock 3-0 Joe Comito
(22) Daryl Gurney 2-3 Callan Rydz
FIRST ROUND
(1) Luke Littler 3-0 Darius Labanauskas
Mario Vandenbogaerde 0-3 David Davies
(32) Joe Cullen 3-0 Bradley Brooks
Mensur Suljovic 3-1 David Cameron
(16) Damon Heta 3-1 Steve Lennon
Raymond van Barneveld 0-3 Stefan Bellmont
(17) Rob Cross 3-0 Cor Dekker
Ian White 3-2 Mervyn King
(8) Chris Dobey 3-1 Xiaochen Zong
Andrew Gilding 3-1 Cam Crabtree
(25) Luke Woodhouse 3-1 Boris Krcmar
Martin Lukeman 1-3 Max Hopp
(9) Gerwyn Price 3-0 Adam Gawlas
Lukas Wenig 1-3 Wesley Plaisier
(24) Ryan Joyce 3-0 Owen Bates
Krzysztof Ratajski 3-0 Alexis Toylo
(4) Stephen Bunting 3-2 Sebastian Bialecki
Richard Veenstra 2-3 Nitin Kumar
(29) Dirk van Duijvenbode 3-2 Andy Baetens
James Hurrell 3-1 Stowe Buntz
(13) Martin Schindler 3-1 Stephen Burton
Keane Barry 3-0 Tim Pusey
(20) Ryan Searle 3-0 Chris Landman
Brendan Dolan 3-1 Tavis Dudeney
(5) Jonny Clayton 3-1 Adam Lipscombe
Dom Taylor 3-0 Oskar Lukasiak
(28) Michael Smith 3-0 Lisa Ashton
Niels Zonneveld 3-0 Haupai Puha
(12) Ross Smith 2-3 Andreas Harrysson
Thibault Tricole 0-3 Motomu Sakai
(21) Dave Chisnall 3-0 Fallon Sherrock
Ricardo Pietreczko 3-1 Jose de Sousa
(2) Luke Humphries 3-1 Ted Evetts
Jeffrey de Graaf 1-3 Paul Lim
(31) Wessel Nijman 3-0 Karel Sedlacek
Gabriel Clemens 3-0 Alex Spellman
(15) Nathan Aspinall 3-1 Lourence Ilagan
Mickey Mansell 2-3 Leonard Gates
(18) Mike De Decker 2-3 David Munyua
Kevin Doets 3-1 Matthew Dennant
(7) James Wade 3-0 Ryusei Azemoto
Ricky Evans 3-0 Man Lok Leung
(26) Cameron Menzies 2-3 Charlie Manby
Matt Campbell 1-3 Adam Sevada
(10) Gian van Veen 3-1 Cristo Reyes
Alan Soutar 3-2 Teemu Harju
(23) Dimitri Van den Bergh 0-3 Darren Beveridge
Madars Razma 3-1 Jamai van den Herik
(3) Michael van Gerwen 3-1 Mitsuhiko Tatsunami
William O'Connor 3-0 Krzysztof Kciuk
(30) Peter Wright 3-0 Noa-Lynn van Leuven
Kim Huybrechts 1-3 Arno Merk
(14) Gary Anderson 3-2 Adam Hunt
Connor Scutt 3-2 Simon Whitlock
(19) Jermaine Wattimena 3-2 Dominik Gruellich
Scott Williams 3-0 Paolo Nebrida
(6) Danny Noppert 3-1 Jurjen van der Velde
Nick Kenny 0-3 Justin Hood
(27) Ritchie Edhouse 0-3 Jonny Tata
Ryan Meikle 3-0 Jesus Salate
(11) Josh Rock 3-1 Gemma Hayter
Niko Springer 1-3 Joe Comito
(22) Daryl Gurney 3-2 Beau Greaves
Callan Rydz 3-0 Patrik Kovacs
Format
Round One/Round Two - Best of Five Sets
Round Three/Round Four - Best of Seven Sets
Quarter-Finals - Best of Nine Sets
Semi-Finals - Best of 11 Sets
Final - Best of 13 Sets
All sets are the best of five legs
There will be a tie-break rule employed in all matches; where a deciding set must be won by two clear legs. If the score in the final set reaches 5-5 then a sudden-death leg will be played. There would be no throw for the bull in any sudden-death legs.
Prize Fund
Winner - £1,000,000
Runner-Up - £400,000
Semi-Finalists - £200,000
Quarter-Finalists - £100,000
Round Four Losers - £60,000
Round Three Losers - £35,000
Round Two Losers - £25,000
Round One Losers - £15,000
Total - £5,000,000