After the new pope was selected - and the choice was a big surprise indeed - there has been an influx of new wagers from sports bettors who have 'renewed their faith' on other long shot bets. According to experts, other sports bettors are now placing their bets on teams like the Bears, Villanova University, and more - thanks to the so-called "pope effect."

In a surprise twist that caught both religious scholars and sports bettors off guard, Robert Francis Prevost was selected as the new Pope this past Thursday, adopting the name Pope Leo XIV. But despite being listed at +5000 odds at BetMGM - with less than 1 percent of total bets placed on him - a small group of hopeful wagerers cashed in big. The betting market for the next Pope, available only in Ontario, rarely attracts headlines, but the shock of this outcome sent ripple effects well beyond the Vatican.

From Chicago to the Vatican

Pope Leo XIV's roots are firmly planted in American soil. Born in 1955 Chicago, he earned a mathematics degree from Villanova University in 1977 right before embarking on his religious journey. Though his path to the papacy was unorthodox and unexpected, glimpses of his life in America, including an appearance in Game 1 of the 2005 World Series broadcast between the Houston Astros and the Chicago White Sox, have added to the public fascination.

What followed his selection, however, was something no oddsmaker could have predicted: a surge of faith-based bets on sports teams connected to his past.

Chicago sports teams experience betting boom

Following the papal announcement, sportsbooks across North America were flooded with bets on Chicago's major sports teams. Hard Rock Bet reported record-setting betting activity on both the Cubs and the Bears. Thursday marked the highest single-day volume of wagers on the Cubs to take home the World Series and on the Bears to lay claim on the Super Bowl since those markets first launched.

"Sports fans are looking for anything, even potential divine intervention, to help their favorite teams win," said SVP of Sportsbook at Hard Rock Bet, Neil Walsh. "Some of our players look at data, others rely on gut feeling, and in this case, potentially a higher power."

ESPN BET echoed that sentiment, reporting that the Bears received more than twice as many Super Bowl bets as any other NFL team in the 24 hours following the Pope's appointment. Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams even fanned the flames with a cryptic tweet, further fueling fan excitement.

Interestingly, while the Cubs ranked third in total World Series wagers during that period, the White Sox - despite their connection to the Pope's World Series cameo - didn't receive a single bet.

Villanova Wildcats see miraculous betting surge

Perhaps the most dramatic spike in wagers came for the Villanova men's basketball team. Currently listed at +8000 to win the 2026 NCAA men's national championship at BetMGM, the Wildcats suddenly became a betting darling.

"The interest in Villanova basketball picked up pretty much as soon as we saw the white smoke," said VP of Sportsbook Strategy & Growth at ESPN BET, Adam Landeka. "More than 50 percent of all futures bets and nearly a third of the total handle for next year's NCAA men's title have come in on the Wildcats."

At BetMGM, Villanova went from less than 1 percent of national title bets to claiming 22 percent of all such wagers in just one day. Combined data from Hard Rock Bet and ESPN BET also showed that Villanova attracted more bets than all other college basketball teams combined in the wake of the papal announcement.

Faith, fandom, and futures

The intersection of sports betting and religion is usually nonexistent, but Pope Leo XIV's unexpected rise appears to have inspired a unique blend of devotion and superstition among fans. While divine intervention may not be quantifiable, the numbers coming from sportsbooks are very real - and very unexpected.

As fans ride the wave of what some are calling "the Pope Effect," sportsbooks are watching closely. Whether or not Chicago teams or Villanova cut down nets or hoist trophies in the coming seasons, one thing's for certain: Pope Leo XIV has already made an impact well beyond the walls of the Vatican.