New Pope - Good News For Good Friday... What Does Future Hold For Catholic Church

Britain’s biggest bookmaker, William Hill is offering 1/100 that there is a new Pope in place by Good Friday (16/1 that there is not) and the odds currently suggest that the man to be handed the role will be either 5/2 favourite, Peter Turkson or 11/4 second favourite, Angelo Scola. Having said this, there is a queue of contenders jostling for position behind the frontrunners and there could be some way to go in this with six contenders pricedoffered at single figure prices.

“The next Pope market has been very volatileand we have already had three favourites,” said William Hill spokesman Joe Crilly.

William Hill offer 16/1 that the next Pope is decided in the first ballot and 8/1 that he is decided in the second ballot. It is 5/2 for eight or more ballots to take place before the new Pope is elected.

As a new Pope is ushered in, William Hill are looking ahead to what the future holds for the Catholic Church and it is 500/1 that a female Pope is elected before the end of the century and the same price that a British Pope is electedbefore the end of the century.

Who will replace Pope Benedict XVI: 5/2 Peter Turkson; 11/4 Angelo Scola; 4/1 Tarciso Bertone; 5/1 Angelo Bagnasco; 6/1 Marc Ouellet; 9/1 Peter Erdo; 14/1 Christoph Schonborn; 14/1 Gianfranco Ravasi; 14/1 Leanardo Sandri; 20/1 BAR

Total Ballots: 16/1 one; 8/1 two; 5/1 three; 5/2 four; 7/2 five; 11/2 six; 13/2 seven; 5/2 eight or more

500/1 female Pope to be elected by 2100

500/1 British Pope to be elected by 2100