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Next Pope Odds: Who Will Succeed Pope Francis?

The next pope odds markets took an unfortunate but not unexpected twist over Easter weekend 2025. After months of battling illness, Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88.

With Pope Francis’s passing, one major question remains: Who will be the next pope? Keep reading to see how the Pope’s passing has impacted the odds for the next Pope at the top entertainment betting sites.

How Did Pope Francis Die?

Jorge Mario Bergoglio assumed the papacy in March 2013, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI. Bergoglio took the papal name Francis. He was the first pope from the Americas and the first from the Southern Hemisphere.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/phNdCBbGHsY

After a decade in the papacy, Pope Francis I started experiencing health complications in 2023. He was hospitalized in March 2023 for a respiratory infection and then had surgery for a hernia in June of that year.

Pope Francis’s health issues resurfaced in February 2025 when he contracted bronchitis. His health worsened when he contracted a respiratory infection and bilateral pneumonia. The Pope was put on a respirator, and it was revealed that he had early-stage kidney failure.

After more than a month in the hospital, Pope Francis was discharged in late March. While recuperating at home, the Pope passed away on Easter Monday. His cause of death has not yet been announced, but reports speculate the Pope suffered a stroke or a brain hemorrhage.

The papal conclave, which will decide the next Pope, is scheduled for May 2025.

Next Pope Odds

With Pope Francis’s passing, the Papal Conclave must elect a new pope. See the table below for a look at the latest odds of the next Pope, courtesy of BetUS.

Papal Candidate	Next Pope Odds	Country of Origin
Luis Antonio Tagle	+100	Philippines
Pietro Parolin	+125	Italy
Fridolin Ambongo Besungu	+400	Democratic Republic of the Congo
Peter Turkson	+400	Ghana
Mark Ouellet	+500	Canada
Matteo Zuppi	+600	Italy
Francis Arinze	+800	Nigeria
Peter Erdo	+800	Hungary
Raymond Leo Burke	+800	United States
Angelo Scola	+900	Italy
Robert Sarah	+900	Guinea

Luis Antonio Tagle, a prelate from the Philippines, is the even-money favorite to be elected the next Pope. Cardinal Tagle was in a three-way tie at 4-1 to be the next Pope a year ago. Over the last 12 months, Tagle has broken away from the pack and is the clear betting favorite.

Pietro Parolin is a close second at +125 in the latest odds to be the next Pope. Fridolin Ambongo Besungu and Peter Turkson are tied for the third-best odds at 4-1 each. Canada’s Mark Ouellet rounds out the top five at +500.

Like Tagle, Parolin and Ouellet were tied as favorites to succeed Pope Francis a year ago. Parolin has stayed hot on Tagle’s heels, but Ouellet has dropped to fifth in the latest odds.

Luis Antonio Tagle (+100)

Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines is the +100 favorite to be the next Pope. Tagle was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. He is a member of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher and the Order of the Legion of Honor.

Tagle has won multiple awards for his work within the church, including:

• Catholic Faith Network Religious Leader Award 2024
• Rotary Peace Award 2018
• Fides Award 2015

If elected, Tagle would be the first Pope from the Philippines. 

Pietro Parolin (+125)

Another leading contender to be elected as the next Pope is Italy’s Pietro Parolin. He was appointed as a cardinal in February 2014 by Pope Francis. He was the first cardinal appointed by Pope Francis.

Since late 2013, Parolin has served as the Cardinal Secretary of State, one of the most important positions in the church.

Parolin could follow in the footsteps of Pope Pius XII, who served as Cardinal Secretary of State before becoming Pope in 1939. Interestingly, Parolin was the youngest person since Pope Pius XII to hold the position.

When Pope Francis was too ill to meet with Vice President JD Vance for Easter 2025, Parolin and Archbishop Richard Gallagher met with the vice president instead.

Fridolin Ambongo Besungu (+400)

Two papal candidates are tied at 4-1 odds to be the next Pope. The first is Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, 65, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Besungu would be the fourth Pope from the African continent, and the first in over 1,500 years.

Like Parolin, Besungu was anointed as a cardinal by Pope Francis. Electing Besungu would be a sign that the church wants to continue the further the efforts of Prop Francis.

At just 65 years old, Besungu is also one of the youngest papal candidates. Despite being younger than the other candidates, Besungu has accomplished a great deal in his career. However, he is also under investigation by the Court of Cassation for seditious behavior.

Peter Turkson (+400)

The other leading papal candidate from the African continent is Peter Turkson from Ghana. Turkson was listed at +600 odds a year ago, and his odds have shortened to +400 recently. He is one of the most experienced candidates and was appointed as a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2003.

Turkson’s legacy with the church is built on his work addressing the AIDS epidemic in Africa. He was a candidate for the papacy in 2013 but lost the election to Pope Francis. Now, he could succeed Pope Francis and become the first African Pope since the sixth century.

Who Will Be the Next Pope?

There are dozens of high-ranking officials in the Catholic Church who could become the next Pope. Ultimately, only one candidate will succeed Pope Francis. My pick for the next Pope is Pietro Parolin (+125).

Parolin worked closely with Pope Francis throughout the latter’s papacy. Also, Parolin replaced Pope Francis as needed when the Pope was ill in the final years of his life.

Next Pope Prop Odds

Betting on who the next Pope will be is not the only way to wager on the upcoming changes in the papacy. BetUS offers multiple props for this market, including the continent of origin for the next Pope and what their papal name will be.

Next Pope Continent

• Asia (-500)
• Africa (+150)
• Europe (+300)
• North America (+800)
• Central or South America (+900)

At this time last year, Europe was a -125 favorite to be the continent of the next Pope. However, with Tagle becoming the even-money favorite, the odds for this market have also changed. 

Asia is listed at -500, with Africa being the next-closest continent at +150. Tagle is from the Philippines, so it is not surprising that Asia is now a heavy favorite in this prop bet.

Fridolin Ambongo Besungu and Peter Turkson are top contenders from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ghana, respectively. Their rise in the latest next Pope odds explains the rise in Africa in this prop wager. Africa has shortened from +500 to +150 in the last year.

Europe, on the other hand, has faded significantly over the last year. It was listed as the -125 favorite, but you can now bet on Europe at +300. Italy’s Pietro Parolin (+125) and Matteo Zuppi (+600) are the top next Pope contenders from Europe.

My pick to be the next Pope is Pietro Parolin (+125), a native of Italy. So, despite Europe’s fading odds, it is my pick for this prop wager.

Next Pope’s Papal Name Odds

• Francis (+150)
• Benedict (+300)
• John Paul (+500)
• Leo (+600)
• Urban (+800)
• John (+1000)
• Paul (+1000)

The tradition of choosing a papal name dates back centuries and creates another exciting prop market for bettors. Pope Francis was the first “Francis,” but he is unlikely to be the last. BetUS lists “Francis” as the +150 favorite to be the papal name selected by the next Pope.

“Benedict” has the second-best odds at +300, with “John Paul” closing out the top three at 5-1 odds. “John” is the most frequently used papal name, being used 21 times since the early sixth century.

My pick for the next Pope is Pietro Parolin, who worked closely with Pope Francis. There is no better way for Parolin to continue the legacy of the Pope who appointed him as cardinal than by taking the same papal name. With that in mind, I believe the next Pope will also be named Francis.

Which Papal Candidate Will You Bet On?

Following the unfortunate passing of Pope Francis I, one of the biggest questions facing the Catholic Church is who will be the next Pope? I think the best bet to replace the late Pope is Pietro Parolin (+125).

See the guide above for the latest odds for the next Pope. Then, create your BetUS account today to bet on your picks for Pope Francis’ successor. New members can use the 125% welcome bonus to get up to $2,000 in bonus funds on their first three deposits.