Russia's 'sexiest professional poker star' dies after electric shock in bathroom

The pro poker player had many fans in Russia [Courtesy]

A -26-year-old woman dubbed Russia’s “most beautiful poker player” has been found dead from a suspected massive electric shock in her bathroom.

Liliya Novikova had been alone at home and her body was discovered on the floor of her bathroom in Moscow.

A mathematics whiz-kid with a first class degree in engineering from a top Russian university, she shunned offers to work at leading industrial companies and instead became a professional poker star with a lucrative career.

She was famous both as an online and real-life player and featured in her own poker web channels.

She is reported to have had a contract with PokerStars online card room and ran her own web masterclasses and workshops for beginners.

Russia’s Channel 5 mourned the death of the country’s “sexiest poker player”.

Novikova’s parents became worried when she did not answer her phone in her flat on prestigious Kutuzovsky Prospekt.

They asked a neighbour to check the apartment, and her body was found on the bathroom floor.

Liliya Novikova was a professional poker star in Russia [Courtesy]

The Russian Investigative Committee said: “During the first checks of young woman's dead body, signs of electric shock trauma were registered.”

She is believed to have been charging a phone or other device in the bathroom when an accident occurred.

Some reports say the device was "faulty".

Others say she banged her head as a result of the electrical incident.

A postmortem is to be held.

Videos showed her teaching poker and congratulating Russian military men on the Day of the Motherland Defender in February.

Novikova was also a keen cyclist, snowboarder, rower and boxer.

She ran her own online shop for poker-themed clothing.

The administrator of her official group on Vkontakte social media posted: “I do not know how to present such news, I have been thinking for a while and it is very hard for me to write this.

“(Liliya) is dead. Yesterday, an accident.

“She is not here anymore. She has left us.”