Online Sportsbook Offers Odds on Home Country of Next Pope
Online gambling authority open books on nationality of future pope
Monday 18th April 2005
Online gambling authority Bodog has lead the way in political wagers with their new line of odds on the home country of the next Pope.
The conclave to elect a successor to Pope John Paul II started on April 18, now more than 100 cardinals are facing the task of replacing one of the giants of the 20th century. The electors will vote in the Sistine Chapel twice a day until they have selected a new Pontiff to lead the 1.1 billion member Church.
All cardinals aged under 80 (117 in all) are eligible to take part in the conclave. They will hold two voting rounds a day until they choose a new pope with a two-thirds majority. When the new pope is elected, the cardinals will signal the selection by releasing a plume of white smoke.
Odds on the next Pope’s home country range from 6/5 for Italy to 25/1 for the US and 18/1 for England.
Cardinals have started publicly selecting their predictions and preferences. Some believe the next pontiff should come from a developing country in the Southern Hemisphere, where two thirds of the 1.1 billion Catholics live.
‘We provide our players with a fun and entertaining experience at Bodog.com,’ said Calvin Ayre, Bodog Founder and CEO, ‘Posting odds on top cultural and political events adds a bit of spice to our ongoing Sportsbook, Poker Room and Casino games, and our loyal players enjoy getting in on the extra action’.
Online gambling authority Bodog has lead the way in political wagers with their new line of odds on the home country of the next Pope.