Bookmakers tag Italian as new pope
2013-03-12 19:27
London - Bookmakers in betting-mad Britain are cashing in
on the Roman Catholic conclave to select a new pope. As cardinals began their
deliberations at the Vatican on Tuesday, here's a look at the odds.
Leading contenders
Cardinal Angelo Scola of Milan was leading the pack for
many bookmakers. Ladbrokes had the Italian with odds of 2-1, while Paddy Power
and William Hill both had him at 9-4.
"The money keeps coming for Scola and we've been
forced to slash his odds," said Jessica Bridge of Ladbrokes.
"The closer we get to the conclave, it's harder to
see an outsider causing an upset."
That helps explain why Paddy Power was taking bets that
the next pope will hail from Italy at 1-1.
From there the race gets convoluted, but a few names
stand out.
William Hill said its original favourite, Cardinal
Francis Arinze of Nigeria, had fallen to odds of 40-1. The betting house now
has Ghana's Cardinal Peter Turkson in second place with odds of 7-2 and
Brazil's Cardinal Odilo Scherer third at 4-1.
Long shots
There's little agreement on which cardinals are the
longest shots. But among non-cardinal "contenders" one name keeps
popping up: U2's Bono, a rock 'n' roller known for his charitable works and
political activism.
The singer is listed with odds of 1 000-1 at Paddy Power,
Ladbrokes and William Hill.
Other names out of left field include Italian soccer star
Mario Balotelli and pop sensation Justin Bieber, who are listed at 2 500-1 and
10 000-1, respectively.
Spending
Bookmakers are taking in significant sums. Paddy Power
said that since Pope Benedict XVI resigned, prognosticators have spent more
than £500 000
speculating on his replacement. Ladbrokes said about £10 000 has been staked, with
the figure expected to rise if the voting drags on.
William Hill said it has received bets in the
"thousands" coming from more than 50 countries.
Speaking of how long...
People are also placing bets on how long it will take the
cardinals to elect a pope. William Hill had Tuesday as the favourite, at 5-2,
with 6-4 odds on Wednesday.
What’s in a name:
Paddy Power's second-largest pope-related market is for
what name Benedict's successor will take — with Leo, Gregory and Pius among the
most popular predictions.
A 17th Benedict stood at a moderate 12-1; a first Pope
Damian stood at 500-1.
Star power and payoffs
Retired basketball legend Dennis Rodman — fresh off a
trip to North Korea — was doing publicity for Paddy Power in a light-hearted
"campaign" for Turkson to become the first black pope.
- AP
