Bookies Take Bets On Future Pope

WCBS 88 ^ | 4/4/05

[areafiftyone]

An Italian and a Nigerian cardinal are tied as Irish bookmakers’ favorites to succeed Pope John Paul II.

More than 5,000 people have placed bets on who will be the next pope with Paddy Power PLC, Ireland’s largest bookmaking chain.

The early favorites are Dionigi Tettamanzi of Italy and Francis Arinze of Nigeria, both listed on 11-4 odds. That means a winning $4 bet would pay out $15.

Betting resumed Monday in shops and on the Internet on the question, “Who will be the next pope?” The firm had suspended betting for one day Sunday out of respect to John Paul, who died Saturday.

The biggest bet so far, $1,300, has been on Tettamanzi. The company said most bets are for much smaller amounts.

Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras is third with 9-2 odds, while Joseph Ratzinger of Germany and Claudio Hummes of Brazil both follow with odds of 7-1.

Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino of Cuba, Ennio Antonelli of Italy and Christoph Schoenborn of Austria come next, all at 14-1. Giovanni Battista Re of Italy stood alone at 16-1, while three others—Dario Castrillon Hoyos of Colombia, and Crescenzio Sepe and Giacomo Biffi, both of Italy—merited 18-1.

[anniegetyourgun]

"The firm had suspended betting for one day Sunday out of respect to John Paul, who died Saturday."

It's a world gone mad.

[KarlInOhio]

I was thinking of drawing up some brackets for the various regions like the NCAA tourney, but I put it aside because I thought it would be too tasteless. Maybe I'll have to get a list of the cardinals and try to seed them.

[areafiftyone]

LOL leave it to the Irish to place bets on this.

[Red Badger]

I'm guessing, but I think the next pope will be a Hispanic from the New World..........

[Tanniker Smith]

On the lighter side, forget about who will be the next pope and ask yourself this:

Who Will the Next Pope Be?"

(yes, it's a slightly different question and a fun guessing game for the whole family . . . )

TS

[xsmommy]

dubs, tell me you don't have $$$ on this... ; )

[areafiftyone]

They were mentioning that this morning.

[mtbopfuyn]

He who goes into the conclave a pope comes out a cardinal

[Callahan]

I'm picturing a new reality show: "Conclave"

They could air it on the Catholic Channel.

[lillybet]

YOUR FIRED

[dmz]

That's pretty funny.

[tjwmason]

My three favourites are all in the top 10 - hurrah.

H.E. Francis card. Arinze 1=
H.E. Jozef card. Ratzinger 4=
H.E. Dario card. Castrillon Hoyos 10=.

Time for a flutter?

[tjwmason]

I'm picturing a new reality show: "Conclave"

For real irony how about 'Pope Idol'?

Just joking.

[Aquinasfan]

An Italian and a Nigerian cardinal are tied as Irish bookmakers’ favorites to succeed Pope John Paul II.

I'm more interested in the predictions of people who are willing to put their money where their mouth is. I'd like to see Cardinal Arinze.

[bowzer313]

"I'm guessing, but I think the next pope will be a Hispanic from the New World.........."

Great! That's just what the Church needs; some guy polluted with the apostasy of "Liberation Theology" from the land of Castro, Fox, and Chavez!

[Luddite Patent Counsel]

I'm voting Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga off the island...

[Red Badger]

Castro, Fox, and Chavez

Sounds like a Miami law firm......

[Knitting A Conundrum]

All I have to say is the old saying about papal elections:
he who enters the conclave as pope leaves as cardinal.

In other words, the guys that are talked about as future popes seldom are chosen.

I am pretty sure, though, that the pope won't be US....and I would be surprised if he were German. Besides that, I will wait and see, and save these tidbits to bash the press with later....

[paleocon patriarch]

I'd look to the prophecy of Irish St Malachy for the inside scoop on the next, and second to last Pope. De Gloria Olivea may be an olive skinned candidate, a Semite, or a Benedictine.