Next Pope Odds: Parolin Favorite As Conclave Begins

Pietro Parolin has re-established himself as the favorite on Canadian betting sites in the next pope betting markets at the start of conclave.

Betting on the next pope has proven popular in nation's where it's allowed and interest has peaked following the start of the conclave on Wednesday. The first round of voting on day one failed to produce a result so the College of Cardinals will reconvene on Thursday.

Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, aged 88, following a stroke. He had been unwell for some time, spending several weeks in hospital in February, but he did make an appearance at Easter Mass shortly before his death. 

Following Pope Francis's funeral and a period of mourning, attention turned to who will be named the new head of the Catholic church. 

It's not easy to predict who will be chosen given the mystery that surrounds the voting process and the make up of the current College of Cardinals.

Pope Francis appointed roughly 80% of the cardinals who will be voting and for the first time ever, less than half of the college are from Europe.

Alberta sports betting operators have drawn up a list of likely candidates, so let's take a closer look at the next pope odds and those thought to be in line to lead the Catholic Church.

Parolin sits atop the market on his own after the odds on Luis Antonio Tagle becoming the next pope drifted out during the weekend. 

*All odds correct at the time of publishing.

Next Pope Betting Odds and Top Contenders

Pietro Parolin (+225)

Depending on which sportsbook or betting apps bettors use, they could find the Vatican's secretary of state Parolin the odds-on favorite.

PowerPlay Sportsbook did make the 70-year-old a -400 chance to be elected at one point, but the bookies have are no longer quite so sure on who will get the job.

Parolin is bidding to become the first Italian pope in 40 years and would be expected to continue the reforms started by his predecessor, given their similar ideology when it comes to prioritizing diplomacy and a more global outlook for the church.

Luis Antonio Tagle (+325)

The odds on Luis Antonio Tagle becoming the next Pope have fluctuated greatly since the market opened with the Filipino having been made joint-favourite with Parolin at one point, only to see his odds drift out slightly since then. 

Still, he's viewed as a serious contender to become the first Asian leader of the Catholic Church and has the edge over Parolin when it comes to pastoral experience. 

He was thought to have been considered for the position when Pope Francis was elected in 2013, but his chances may have greatly improved 12 years on with a record five Filipino members of the College of Cardinals. They could form a strong lobbying group in the conclave, should they get behind Tagle.

Matteo Zuppi (+650)

Pope Francis was a big admirer of Matteo Zuppi, making him a cardinal in 2019, while he was elected the president of the Italians bishops conference in 2022.

The 69-year-old Archbishop of Bologna was also chosen by Pope Francis to be his peace envoy for the war in Ukraine and has close ties to the influential Rome-based charity group Sant’Egidio Community.

Zuppi is viewed as the most progressive of the candidates to be shortlisted, but that could count against him with the church thought to be looking for more of a centrist candidaye to be the next pontiff.

Peter Turkson (+650)

The odds on the first African pope being elected have fluctuated greatly and opinion is split on Alberta sportsbooks on Peter Turkson's chances, with some cutting him to +700, while others have held firm at his starting odds of +1200.

The 76-year-old from Ghana has previously said he doesn't want to be the next Pope having been viewed as one of the frontrunners when Pope Francis was elected.

However, his conservative views would appear to fit the direction the Catholic Church wants to go and he's likely to receive plenty of support.

Peter Erdo (+1400)

Another to have been mentioned in connection with becoming the next pope the last time voting took place, Peter Erdo is thought to have a strong support base among European cardinals having twice been elected head of the Council of European Episcopal Conferences.

The archbishop of Budapest is as short as +600 at some sportsbooks and those with longer odds may be overlooking the exposure and interactions he's had with various cardinals worldwide via his role working on several African bishops conferences.

Pierbattista Pizzaballa (+650)

Another Italian in contention, Pierbattista Pizzaballa has spent the last three decades in the Middle East and is currently the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

He rose quickly through the ranks under Pope Francis thanks to his progressive views and his authority over matters in the Middle East is seen as a major plus point to his candidacy. 

However, the 60-year-old's age may count against him this time around with cardinals notoriously reluctant to make a long-term appointment when it comes to electing a new pope.

European Cardinals Lead Next Pope Betting Market

Canadian bettors can wager on a range of different markets when it comes to the next pope betting with Sports Interaction offering odds on the official name of the next pope and how many ballots will take place before a new pontiff is chosen. 

One of the more popular markets is the continent of birth option. With four of the top six candidates in the next pope betting hailing from Europe, Canadian betting sites are hedging their bets on the new leader of the Catholic Church being European. 

Parimatch are very strong on the idea, pricing a European pope at -250, while Sports Interaction are offering +100. 

Francis Favourite In Next Papal Name Betting

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, or Pope Francis as he was better known, was the first pontiff to adopt the papal name Francis, and Canadian betting sites believe his successor will choose the same name.

The new pope tends to choose the name of the pope who elevated him to cardinal, and with Pope Francis having created in the region of 80% of the current College of Cardinals, including the outright favorite to be the next Pope, Pietro Parolin, it stands to reason that Francis would be the top pick. 

Francis is a +500 chance with PowerPlay Sportsbook, with John Paul and John next in the betting at +600.

John is the most commonly used papal name with 21 previous popes having chosen it with Gregory (16) and Benedict (15) next on the list, although only Gregory (+1100) is listed in the market this time around.

Understanding the Next Pope Voting Process And Its Impact on Betting

A lot of the election process is shrouded in secrecy, but what we do know is that the College of Cardinals will hold the conclave at the Sistine Chapel, next door to St Peter's Basilica in Rome, beginning on May 5.

Only cardinals under the age of 80 are allowed to vote with each eligible cardinal writing down his preferred choice on a piece of card. 

It takes a two-thirds majority to select the next Pope and it can take several rounds of voting to decide with a conclave regularly lasting days.

The only communication the College of Cardinals has with the outside world during a conclave is via the Sistine Chapel's chimney with black smoke signalling an unsuccessful vote and white smoke indicating a new pope has been selected.