Michael Greco — Beppe DiMarco in EastEnders — has turned his poker skills into a nice little earner by signing a sponsorship deal with Littlewoods Poker.

Greco starred in Albert Square for six years up to 2002 before his Italian heart-throb character left the series in a taxi — the quietest exit Walford has ever seen.

Turning The Tables

After EastEnders though Greco turned to serious poker playing and recently made a World Series of Poker final table.

Now he’s back in the spotlight after signing a SIX-YEAR deal to represent the UK gaming site at live and online events including the European Poker Tour.

“When I first started getting interested in the game, I was just playing with friends and learning the basics,” said Greco.

Bluffing

“Over the past couple of years, I’ve been trying to stay away from the limelight and the celebrity lifestyle that I had when I was in EastEnders. I’m still working as an actor I’ve also been concentrating very hard on my poker.”

And Greco says his acting talents still come in handy: “I can bluff very well and either hide my tells or create false ones to confuse them.”