Betting On Next Pope Popularity and Odds

Lines are available to bet on who will be the next Pope

The niche markets including betting interests outside of sports are not allowed at most U.S. sportsbooks. But the global interest in U.S. elections with tumultuous Trump drew huge watch and wager interest at offshore and online sportsbooks. Now betting on the next pope ahead of the May 7 contentious conclaves is drawing "a huge level of interest globally," said a U.K. manager for Oddschecker.

The U.K.'s No. 1 odds comparison site says hundreds of thousands of people from nearly 140 countries have visited Oddschecker to review each cardinal’s chances of becoming the next pope.

Leading online sportsbook BetOnline has dozens of entertainment props on the next pope, who will replace Pope Francis after he passed away April 21 following a cerebral stroke. 

Several of the cardinals are considered strong contenders to be the next Pope. These individuals have gained prominence within the Church hierarchy and have been widely discussed as potential successors to Pope Francis. 

Bettors are shaping the market, and BetOnline now has Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle as the co-favorites (+250) after Tagle was +100 on May 1. BetOnline has odds on more than 50 names and you can even wager on which continent the next pope will come from and what his papal name will be. 

Next Pope Odds 2025

Odds from BetOnline and leading online sportsbooks refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on futures, props and live betting. Next Pope odds. 
 
+250: Luis Antonio Tagle
+250: Pietro Parolin
+500: Peter Turkson (was 10/1 on May 1)
+800: Peter Erdo 
+800: Matteo Zuppi
+800: Wilton Daniel Gregory (down from 12/1)
+1200: Pierbattista Pizzaballa
+1400: Jean Marc Aveline
+1600: Robert Sarah (up from 10/1)
+1600: Robert Prevost
+1800: Fridolin Ambongo Besungu (up from 6/1)
+2200: Mario Grech
+2500: Raymond Leo Burke (up from 10/1)
+2500: Charles Maung Bo
+5000: Mark Ouellet (up from 10/1)
+5000: Timothy Dolan
+5000: Anders Arborelius
+5000: Gerald Cyprien LaCroix
+6600: Wim Eijk (up from 10/1)
+6600: Angelo Scola (up from 12/1)
+6600: Gerhard Ludwig Muller
+6600: Albert Malcolm Ranjith (up from 25/1)

Since Feb. 20, 2025 when BetOnline previously sent on odds on the next Pope, here are some notes and odds adjustments.  

- Luis Antonio Tagle odds moved from 4/1 to 1/1 to 5/2, and he opened with 14/1 odds in 2022. 
- Peitro Parolin's odds have improved from 5/1 to 2/1 to 5/2, and he opened with 14/1 odds in 2022. 
- Matteo Zuppi's odds have improved from 28/1 to 6/1 to 8/1, and he opened with 16/1 odds in 2022.

The Vatican's Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, is a well-respected figure within the Church and leader of the Papal Conclave. The No. 2 figure in the Vatican is the secretary of state since 2013. "He represents a continuity," says the Sant’Egidio Community, a Catholic group close to Francis. Still, the 70-year-old has critics with the left questioning his past comments about same-sex marriage, which he called a “defeat for humanity,” and his lack of pastoral experience. His critics on the right criticize his role in the church’s efforts to make inroads in China, which has required negotiations with Communist leaders.

The Archbishop of Manila, Luis Antonio Tagle, is a highly regarded figure within the Church and is seen as a potential candidate to be the first Asian Pope. Nicknamed the "Asian Francis", Tagle was the Archbishop of Manila between 2011 and 2020.

The American watchdog Bishop Accountability has accused the two favorites Parolin and Tagle for mishandling child sex abuse claims. 

“It can be fairly said that no church official in the world has played as pivotal a role in withholding information about sex crimes from civil authorities than Cardinal Parolin.” 

Local churches continue to encourage total silence and block investigations into the abusive priests. Bishop Accountability co-director adds, “If Cardinal Tagle cannot even get his brother bishops from his home country to publish guidelines, what on earth can we expect for him to achieve as pope of a global church?” 

Cardinal Peter Turkson from Ghana is gaining prominence as a potential successor to Pope Francis, becoming a leading African candidate. Betting markets including the growing crypto community are showing their support for Turkson.  

Cardinal Peter Turkson trades at ~6/1 to become the next Pope, according to betting markets: +620 on Oddschecker (≈14%) and 12% on Polymarket. He remains the third most likely contender behind Cardinals Parolin and Tagle as the conclave nears pic.twitter.com/c223LpiVxe

— ghanaspora (@ghanaspora) April 30, 2025

Papel Name Of Next Pope

-150: Pius (down from 20/1 on May 1)
+200: Leo (was 8/1)
+400: John (was 12/1)
+800: Francis (up from 2/1)
+800: Gregory (down from 12/1)
+1000: Stephen
+1200: John Paul
+1600: Benedict
+1800: Clement
+1800: Innocent
+2000: Julius
+2000: Celestine
+2000: Anastasius
+2000: Nicholas
+2000: Martin
+2000: Urban
+2000: Alexander 

The controversial Conclave has a history that includes riots, revenge and royal rigging. The Catholic teaching may not go so far as to call games of chance or wagers sinful, but its Catechism warns that “the passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement.” It says gambling becomes “morally unacceptable” if it gravely affects a person’s livelihood. 

Watch and wager on the next Pope at your own peril. 

You can bet on it.

FairwayJay is recognized as a leading sports betting analyst providing insights and information you can bet on here at OSGA. Follow him on X @FairwayJay for more sports betting news and insights.