Bookie takes bets on Pope's visit

With the news that Pope Benedict is to visit Britain in 2010, Ireland’s biggest bookmaker Paddy Power is offering a range of betting opportunities to mark the trip.

Expecting the Pontiff to celebrate Mass at the new Wembley Stadium, Paddy Power is taking bets on the size of the congregation that attend on the day - numbers in excess of 85,000 parishioners are their favourite at 11/10.

The firm is also taking bets on who will be Prime Minister when the Pope visits the UK. Tory leader, David Cameron is their current 1/10 favourite with Gordon Brown a relative outsider at odds of 5/1.

The betting odds suggest that September 2010 is the most likely time for the visit with a total stay of 5-6 days their 10/11 favourite.

Paddy Power said: “Its 27 years since a Pope visited Britain so we expect the Pontiff to get a rock stars welcome and whip the audience into a celestial frenzy when he walks out at Wembley next year.”