On the eve of the conclave to elect
Pope Francis's successor, starting Wednesday afternoon,
excitement is continuing to rise among international bookmakers
for the election of the new leader of the world's 1.4 billion
Catholics.
Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin is still the top tip,
on over 32%, followed by Filipino and John Lennon 'Imagine' fan
Luis Antonio Tagle, who is collecting 16% of the bets.
Ghana's Peter Turkson and Hungary's Peter Erdo are further
behind at 8%, with Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista
Pizzaballa, the third Italian heavyweight in the field, at 7%.
The head-to-head between the two favorites, Agipronews reports,
continues on the betting board, with William Hill experts
offering both Parolin and Tagle at 3.50 after the latest update
of the odds (Tagle was in the lead Monday).
Behind the two favorites are Turkson and Italian Bishops
Conference (CEI) chief and Ukraine envoy Matteo Zuppi at 5.
The most significant change in the last few hours, however,
concerns Mario Grech, a cardinal very close to the late Jorge
Mario Bergoglio.
The Maltese odds are now at 20, more than halved compared to 42
a week ago.
WHITE SMOKE - International betting analysts are also betting on
the day the new Pope will be announced: a very short conclave is
expected, with white smoke already on May 8 - the second day on
the calendar - set at 2.10, ahead of May 9 given at 2.75. The
May 10 option rises to 7, with the papal election at the first
vote, Wednesday May 7, given at 9.
POPE NAME - For the bookmakers, the most likely name of the next
Pope will be Francis II. The odds are at 5 that the new Pope
will choose Francis, ahead of John and John Paul, both set at 6
times the stake, followed by Benedict at 7.
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