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The Conclave and the bets
As the Conclave approaches, bookmakers in the UK are in full swing, taking bets on the name of the new Pope. Current odds are a head-to-head between Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the 35% favorite, and the Filipino Luis Antonio Tagle, at 25%. These odds, however, are constantly evolving, with relatively close odds making the situation even more uncertain.
The possible candidates in the running
In addition to the two main candidates, other names are emerging in the bets. Among them are the Hungarian Peter Erdo, the Portuguese Jose Tolentino and two Italians, Matteo Zuppi and Pierbattista Pizzaballa. There is also no shortage of African candidates, such as Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Peter Turkson and Robert Sarah. The variety of names reflects the complexity and diversity of the Catholic Church, which is looking for a new leader in a time of great change.
Unexpected candidates
Some betting agencies do not even rule out the possibility that two people over eighty, who will not participate in the Conclave, could be considered eligible. Among them, the Italian Angelo Scola, former archbishop of Milan, and the Canadian Marc Ouellet. This situation raises questions about the future direction of the Church and how the cardinals might decide to face contemporary challenges.
Artificial Intelligence and Forecasting
In a curious experiment, the British tabloid Daily Mail quizzed an artificial intelligence about the next Pope. Again, the result indicated Cardinal Parolin as the most likely candidate. This highlights not only the public interest surrounding the Conclave, but also how technology is starting to play a role in the predictions of such significant events.