FabSwingers.com forum: New Pope

By *agna Cum Laude OP Man
over a year ago

Laudable

After a long history of mostly Italian Popes, the previous two have been Polish and German and the bookies believe the Vatican could look even further afield this time, with cardinals from Ghana and Canada among the early favourites.

Bet365 and Sky Bet make Ghana's Cardinal Peter Turkson their 5/2 favourite. Head of the Vatican justice and peace bureau, he backs world financial reform and there are hints that he is Benedict's preferred candidate having recently said that having an African pope (for the first time in 1500 years) would "send a splendid sign to the world". Stan James currently offer the best odds of 4/1.

Cardinal Marc Ouellet is also available at 4/1 (Paddy Power) despite him having once said that becoming pope "would be a nightmare." The Canadian is Head of the Congregation for Bishops, but the widespread secularism in his native Quebec could work against him.

Next in the betting comes the Archbishop of Milan, Angelo Scola, who is head of a foundation to promote Muslim-Christian understanding. Given the long history of European Popes, the best odds of 11/2 with Bet365 look reasonable.

Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria was an early favourite, but has drifted in the betting to best odds of 13/2 (Bet365). Once the world's youngest bishop, he is now aged 80 and that could count against him given that Joseph Ratzinger cited the pressures of age at 85 as the reason for his departure.

The other major contender, if we are to keep faith with the odds, is Leonardo Sandri, born in Buenos Aires to Italian parents. He held the third-highest Vatican post as its chief of staff in 2000-2007 and early odds of 25/1 on the Argentinian have been slashed to 10/1 with Paddy Power (and as short as 5/1 with Stan James).

Of course, the bookmakers also offer up a few unlikely candidates, with Paddy Power quoting odds of 1000/1 on U2 singer Bono and Stan James chalking up a far from tempting 5000/1 on Catholic convert Tony Blair.

Indeed Paddy Power have gone to town with a "Yes we Vati-can" campaign promoting various Pope betting markets, including the Papal name of the next Pope.

An infamous ‘Prophecy of the Popes’ by St. Malachy (the first Irish saint) from the 12th Century is said to have made predictions about each of the next 112 Popes and that the final Pope would be black. There have been 111 subsequent Popes and the next will be the 112th since his prophecies, so the Irish bookmaker have come up with a Pope betting special offer - they will refund losing bets on the next Pope - if a black Pope is elected!

I am having £10 on Bono!!!

New Pope - The Odds