I turfed out the tournament favourite after ten hands

Helen 'Hells Bells' Chamberlain, best known for co-presenting irreverent early-morning footie show Soccer AM on Sky Sports 1, has also had stints on The Big Breakfast, RI:SE and Channel 5's International King of Sports. Paul Cheung hung out with the self-proclaimed 'Matt Le Tissier' of presenting.

34-year-old Helen Chamberlain is the long serving member of footie-fans' favourite, Soccer AM. Although her love of League One Torquay Utd is well-documented - she has their emblem tattooed on her backside - less well-known is her love of all things gambling-related.

InsideEdge: When did you start playing cards?

I've played cards all my life. My mother is a card-player who picked it up from my grandmother. Every Christmas we used to play Newmarket, but only for pennies and half-pennies. I got so excited playing cards, winning four pence, five pence....

Back in the day...

I'm not that old! But, y'know, when you're four or five years-old, it's great. My grandmother taught me how to play cribbage when I was about nine, which I try and teach other people now.

When did you first play in a casino?

Ten years ago. Torquay casino. I loved it. I played it all. Blackjack, stud poker, roulette.

What's your game now?

Texas hold'em. It's the new black. It's getting absolutely massive. I used to watch it on Channel 4, about eight years ago. I knew the different hands you could get but I didn't have a clue with the betting, but I was still interested enough to watch it.

Are you any good?

Not when I first started - I always wanted to see the flop. To me, seeing the fl op and making a hand on the river, that was the fun thing. I've since learnt that you don't see fl ops in most games when you're playing with pros. You just raise or re-raise. I've entered the Poker Million this year on Sky and let's just say I turfed out the tournament favourite after ten hands.

Who was that?

Ram Vaswani.

That's pretty impressive. Time to change your day-job?

I don't want to. I really like what I do. Some people might call me unambitious but I think I'm like the Matt Le Tissier of presenting. I get five days a week off. The Soccer AM team are such a great bunch.

Which celebs can handle themselves on the poker table?

Michael Greco (Beppe in Eastenders) knows what he's doing. Doctor Raj Persaud is 'not very good'. The funny thing is, he has a little informal poker club round his house on Friday nights and Esther Rantzen and June Sarpong play!

Do the best players have certain characteristics?

I don't really know. I suppose it's just the bullying tactic. It's one thing being a bully but when I'm being bullied, I fold unless I think I've got a hand. That's how I beat Ram Vaswani. He went all-in and we already had the flop and there was nothing. I had a pair and he obviously went all-in to try and scare me off. When the flop came in, it was a 9-high flop.

Why's poker so popular?

I've no idea why it's suddenly caught on. They started doing it down Torquay casino. They used to do it in a back-room but then they did it on a side-table in the main room. I love gambling but I don't get a kick out of the fear of losing £1,000 but the possibility of winning £8,000.

It's not about the money?

Definitely not. It's about the social event. If I go down the casino with £20 in chips - three or four hours later, I've still got £20. If you go in thinking you're going to win a lot of money, you'll lose.

Do you read books on poker?

Not really. I think the more you know, the less edge you have. I remember reading when to lay down K-K. It says that you should know from how the betting's gone that the other person had two Aces. If I ever get to the stage where I'm folding two Kings, I don't want to play any more.

What about sports betting?

Football-wise I do England games. I had France to win 2-1 when we played at Euro 2004 and Zidane scored in the 92nd minute; and I had Lampard to be the first goal-scorer at 12/1, so I was laughing. I'm starting to bet more and more on the internet now. It's so much easier, quicker and so much more dangerous.

You're obviously a massive Torquay Utd fan - have you ever bet on them?

No, never. I'd have to bet on them losing 'cos they're so bad! I do try and see them as much as I can. I've had to accept that I will miss some games.

With not much success according to my sources...

Yeah. I've been banned from driving speeding to games. Twice.