Posted on 02/11/2013 12:28:49 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Just hours after Pope Benedict XVI‘s surprising Feb. 28 resignation, bookmakers have already started placing odds on his successor.
Quickest off the mark was the Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, which has already gone through three favorites for the position, starting off with Nigerian Francis Arinze, before shifting to Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson and then to Canadian Marc Ouellet — who at the time of this writing is the most favored option, with odds of 11 to 4. A rival bookie, Ladbrokes, currently has Turkson as the slight favorite at 3 to 1, followed by Arinze (7 to 2) and then Ouellet (4 to 1)
The 80-year-old Arinze is an Igbo Nigerian who spent 25 years in the Vatican and was once the world’s youngest bishop. The 64-year-old Turkson was appointed by the current Pope four years ago to become president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace — although he did spark controversy last year over a YouTube clip he screened at an international meeting of bishops on the rise of Islam in Europe. Ouellet is the Vatican’s main staff director, but unless he’s a master at political dissembling, the 68-year-old doesn’t seem to be actively pursuing the job. He has been quoted as saying that being Pontiff “would be a nightmare,” and told Quebec City’s Le Soleil newspaper that a pope’s duties “are perhaps not very enviable,” with the responsibilities “crushing.”
Media Relations Manager for Paddy Power, Feilim Mac An Iomaire, told TIME that the bookmaker had been prepared for Monday’s bombshell. “We’ve actually had betting on the next Pope for eight years, since Benedict was named,” he explains. “But now, the money has been absolutely flying in. We’re comfortably into five figures and that does have a massive effect on the odds.”
(Excerpt) Read more at world.time.com ...
Shame that we cannot start a rotisserie league.
MORE BOOKMAKER TIDBITS:
Which country will the next Pope come from?
* current favorite is Italy at 6 to 4,
* any African country (2 to 1)
* anywhere in South or Central America (10 to 3).
* The United States, a long shot, comes in at 12 to 1.
* Cardinal Dolan has a 25 to 1 shot. See here:
* A market has also been opened on what name the future Pontiff will take; Peter is the 2 to 1 favorite.
FROM IRISH CENTRAL
Could Cardinal Timothy Dolan from New York be the first American pope?
EXCERPT:
Could New York Cardinal Timothy Patrick Dolan be the next pope? He is definitely a legitimate contender, the first American one ever, according to Vatican insiders.
The odds may not be great (he’s 25/1 with Paddy Power) but he is known to be deeply popular in Vatican circles and could well be a surprise choice in a conclave where there is no obvious front runner.
Dolan would be a remarkable choice. He is very popular in New York (where, like the next pope, his predecessor is still living) and he has the worldwide reach that might make him a very popular candidate.
The oddsmakers still believe that the next pope is more likely to be African according to Paddy Power, Ireland’s leading bookmaker, who has come out with a list of “papabile,” those considered papal material.
Favorite is Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria, who is 15/8 (bet eight to win fifteen), while in second place is Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana at 9/4.
That’s two top Africans in the top two spots according to the bookmaker’s odds.
What are the odds on Father Flaky Fleuger? I might take some of that action just to agitate Fleuger!
Somebody tell Obama that he can’t make a recess appointment here either.
I bet Obama is tempted to appoint himself to the position by executive order.
Legend has it that Pope Peter II will be the last pope.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2370508/posts?page=10#10
Guido Sarducci
George Soros knows.
“Sure, Father...that’s a fin on Arzine to win.”
Maybe it will be Cardinal Number.
That would make the “Find the Pope In the Pizza” contest interesting.
“Go in as a Pope, come out as a Cardinal.”
There is a Cardinal Bob Dolan? Who knew?
Too bad Joey Bishop’s not around, he’d qualify!
RE: Guido Sarducci
Who the heck is he? Is he even real?
Cardinal Bird?
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