The Catholic church is currently preparing for a conclave to elect a new pope, following the death of Pope Francis. Although conclaves are historically unpredictable, millions of Catholics across the world will be curious as to who’ll become their new leader. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most likely contenders to be chosen for the role, alongside all the odds for who will be the next pope.
Next Pope Betting Odds
| Name | Nationality | Odds | Odds as % |
| Pietro Parolin | Italy | 5/2 | 29% |
| Luis Antonio Tagle | Philippines | 10/3 | 23% |
| Peter Turkson | Ghana | 6/1 | 14% |
| Matteo Zuppi | Italy | 8/1 | 11% |
| Robert Sarah | Guinea | 9/1 | 10% |
| Pierbattista Pizzaballa | Italy | 11/1 | 8.3% |
| Peter Erdo | Hungary | 12/1 | 7.7% |
| Jean-Marc Aveline | France | 25/1 | 3.8% |
| Kevin Farrell | Ireland | 25/1 | 3.8% |
| José Tolentino de Mendonca | Portugal | 25/1 | 3.8% |
| Fridolin Ambongo Besungu | DR Congo | 25/1 | 3.8% |
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Who are the favourites to replace Pope Francis?
If the latest odds on next pope are to be believed, there are two contenders that are well clear of the rest – Pietro Parolin and Luis Antonio Tagle.
Cardinal Parolin is known for his involvement in sensitive negotiations, including the Holy See’s Agreement with China on bishop appointments. Parolin has served as the Vatican’s Secretary of State since 2014, and his extensive experience positions him as a centrist candidate who would be expected to have broad appeal across the Church.
Cardinal Tagle is recognised for his charisma and pastoral approach. As the head of the Vatican’s missionary evangelisation office, he’s played a significant role in promoting the Church’s mission in Asia and Africa. His election would mark the first time an Asian ascends to the papacy.
Of the other Cardinals in the reckoning, there will inevitably be much speculation over the prospect of appointing the first black Pope in modern history. Should the conclave move in this direction, Cardinal Peter Turkson would be expected to come under serious consideration. Turkson is known for his work on social justice, economic inequality, and environmental issues, most notably including climate change.
How to bet on who the next pope will be
Betting on the next pope is straightforward as a number of online betting sites are offering odds.
- Sign up with one of our recommended betting sites. Sky Bet and Paddy Power are two of the bookmakers currently offering new pope odds.
- Make your first deposit – typically this can be as little as £5.
- Navigate to the betting market for the next pope. On both Paddy Power and Sky Bet, this can be found under ‘current affairs’, while other UK betting sites may list the odds in their ‘specials’ category.
- Find the cardinal which you’d like to bet on, and add him to your betslip.
- Decide your stake and place your bet.
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Next Pope: What other markets can I bet on?
On top of who the next pope will be, some online betting sites are offering additional markets to bet on. BetMGM give you the opportunity to predict the number of ballots needed before the new pope is chosen. The favourite options are between five and eight options. It’s 20/1 that a decision is announced after between one and two ballots, so the likelihood is that the process will be spread over a few days.
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New Pope: What happens next?
Before the process of deciding the next pope truly began in earnest, respect was paid to Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, at the Papal funeral. Cardinals from around the world have begun arriving at the Vatican, tasked with choosing who the successor of Francis will be. Only cardinals aged under 80 are allowed to cast votes, with two-thirds of the total votes cast needed before a cardinal can be announced as the next pope.
Famously, the ballots are burned after each vote, with black smoke released from the Sistine Chapel to signify each time the cardinals have tried and failed to elect a new pope. Eventually, a new pope will be successfully chosen, with white smoke released to mark this significant moment.
The newly elected pope will then choose a new name. More conservative cardinals tend to choose a traditional name, as happened with Pope Benedict XVI, while the most recent pope became the first to choose Francis, in honour of St Francis of Assisi.
