History and tradition may favour an Italian, but the strength of the Catholic church in Latin America means that the next Pope could come from the region that boasts the largest number of Catholics in the world. Certainly that is what bookmakers believe.

Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras, Claudio Hummes, of Brazil,. Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina, Jaime Ortega from Cuba and Dario Castrillion Hoyos, from Colombia have frequently featured among the favourites detailed by Paddy Power of Dublin.