Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, finally succumbing to his ailing health over the past few months. He had a stroke in his sleep, and the resting heart failure gave him his last goodbye. But, with the pope only minutes off the mortal coil, people are already betting on the next one. It turns out there is an odds-on favorite.
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If you're living in the US, betting on the next pope is not allowed. Technically, it is an election, and ironically, betting on that is illegal in the US. However, there are a few places online that will still take bets. But, it's best to be aware that you may be breaking a few laws in the process.
Currently, a few sites around Europe and the UK are allowing bets. Paddypower, among numerous others, is giving odds on who the next pope will be. If you're into the whole crypto game, it is also possible to place a bet on the successor to Pope Francis on Polymarket.
Personally, I feel like the US is missing an opportunity to gamify the conclave the way it does most of its national sports. There could be live 24/7 commentary, analysts, cheerleaders, and themed parties. Call it tasteless if you like, but you can't deny that it would be on brand for the US.
Current Favorite For The Position Of New Pope
Of course, the person set to take the position of the Holy See is always undetermined. However, like with any election, there are always favourites. For the seat of Pope, there is a clear favourite with Catholics, the Vatican, and with the bookies.
For many, the current odds-on favorite for the new pope is Pietro Parolin. He is deeply experienced in Vatican politics and has held the role of Vatican Secretary of State for many years. This role is akin to being their catholic church president. This means he has had many years performing roles similar to that of the Pope. He even stood in during periods of Francis's ill health.
However, it isn't a one-horse race. Another favourite is Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. This 67-year-old man from the Philippines is the personality vote. He has won over the hearts and minds of the Vatican with his charisma and attitude. He is similar to Pope Francis with his less traditional and progressive views. He would also be the first asian to hold the highest position in the Catholic church.
But anything can happen in the following days in the quest to find the next pope.
