Arnoldus Pontifex?

Although Pope Gregory XIV banned betting on papal elections in 1591, the practice continues: Paddy Power, an Irish bookmaker (www.paddypower.com), is risking the ire of the Catholic Church by offering wagers on the next Pope. Who are some of the best bets? Many gamblers and Vatican watchers are predicting a Third World Pope.

One factor to take into account before placing your bet is age. The College of Cardinals will probably be looking for a Pope who is neither too old (John Paul I's death after a month in office still rankles) nor too young (many feel that John Paul II's twenty-six-year pontificate has been too long). Paddy Power has not limited its betting options to real people; two of the longest shots (at 5,000 to 1) are fictional churchmen: Father Dougal McGuire, the dim-witted priest on the discontinued British comedy Father Ted , and Reverend Lovejoy, from The Simpsons ...