According to the "Online Betting Guide", Parolin is currently the favorite (4/1), followed by Tagle (9/2), Ghanaian Peter Turkson (6/1) and Hungarian Péter Erdö at 7/1. Betting markets also allow bets on which name the next pope will choose, with "Francis" currently leading at odds of 6/4.
OddsChecker's odds differ, reporting that Tagle, a Filipino cardinal aligned with Francis' vision of inclusion, is the favorite (3/1). Parolin is next (4/1), given his extensive diplomatic experience in the Vatican. Other strong contenders include Turkson (5/1) and Erdö (6/1).
Bettors have also shown interest in Canadian cardinal Mark Ouellet, who is priced at 14/1 and is therefore considered an underdog. Because he is 80 years old, he is not entitled to vote in the conclave, which is the election that will decide the new pontiff.
The process is expected to begin within 20 days. According to the rules of the Catholic Church, only cardinals under 80 years old are eligible to vote.
Of the eight Brazilian cardinals, seven meet this criterion:
-Sérgio da Rocha, Primate of Brazil and Archbishop of Salvador, 65;
-Jaime Spengler, President of the CNBB and Archbishop of Porto Alegre, 64;
-Odilo Scherer, Archbishop of São Paulo, 75;
-Orani Tempesta, Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, 74;
-Paulo Cezar Costa, Archbishop of Brasília, 57;
-João Braz de Aviz, Archbishop Emeritus of Brasília, 77; and
-Leonardo Ulrich Steiner, Archbishop of Manaus, 74.
During the 2013 papal election, the major bookmakers accepting bets included Paddy Power, Ladbrokes and William Hill, all offering odds on possible candidates, the length of the conclave and even the name the next pope would adopt.
Claire Davies, who was a spokeswoman for Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, told CNN at the time: "It's our biggest non-sporting event of the year and we expect the betting to really pick up as we get closer to the conclave."
Source: GMB
