By Darcel Choy Thursday, March 14 2013

In the days prior to yesterday’s selection of a new Pope, bets were placed at local gaming establishments on which cardinal would succeed Pope Benedict XVI. Goodwood Racing Service told Newsday yesterday it received a little over $400 in bets but none on the man who was actually chosen — Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now Pope Francis.

A representative of the betting pool said they received many calls from people about the bet for the election of a Pope but not many people actually placed bets.

“Those who did, placed very small bets with most being $20 on one person and nothing more. Those who bet though did not bet on the one who was selected as his odds were 33 to one, no one was willing to risk that,” the representative said. A few punters who were outside mulling over their bets on sporting events said they did not place any bets on who would be the Pope as they were not interested. Another said he knew morally that betting was wrong and he did not want to make it worse by betting on such a religious event.

“Football and horse racing I don’t mind betting on, but the Pope? I am not doing that, I don’t want any lightning to strike me down,” he said. Late last month, the betting pool introduced the bet with 11 to one odds for Archbishop Angelo Scola the Italian candidate. The odds for the other Italian candidate Tarcisio Bertone was six to one, seven to one on Cardinal Peter Turkson from Ghana , nine to one odds on Canadian Cardinal, Marc Quellet, and 12 to one for Nigerian Cardinal Franciz Arizine and Cardinal Leonard Sandri from Argentina.