As the question of who will become the next pope echoes across the globe, Italians are racking up points choosing potential contenders for the job in a new online game.
The game, called Fantapapa, mimics fantasy football and soccer. However, instead of picking players, users select a team of 11 cardinals they believe have the best chance of becoming the next pope.
"We wanted to connect with a sensation we usually have during the conclaves, in which basically everyone is talking about who the next pope is going to be," said co-creator Mauro Vanetti, who is based in Italy.
Fantapapa launched on April 21 — the day Pope Francis died. In the weeks since its debut, it has grown in popularity, with tens of thousands of users joining the game.
How do you score points?
The key to the game is to choose the cardinals that can score you the most points.
If players correctly guess the cardinal who becomes the next pope as their captain, they earn 1,000 points. If the correct cardinal is placed in any other slot, they receive only 500 points. But users who fail to put the next pope on their team can still score points.
Additional points are scored when chosen cardinals are mentioned in major Italian news outlets. There are also opportunities to gain extra points by correctly guessing the new pope's name. Players can also score points guessing whether the new pope will wear glasses during his first appearance in St. Peter's Square.
Who are the top players?
Vanetti's partner, Pietro Pachi, told Morning Edition that picking Italian cardinals will give your team a boost.
He notes that the Cardinals Matteo Zuppi and Pietro Parolin are currently top picks among the game's 70,000+ users.
Simone D'Alessio, an architect who lives just two kilometers from the Vatican, is one of the players who loves the game. He says all people in Rome can talk about is the selection of the pope.
"So these days, it's totally a mess in the city center. When we go in the morning to have a cappuccino, the bartender says [to] me, 'So who will be the new pope?'" D'Alessio said.
D'Alessio's personal pick is Cardinal Parolin as captain, with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines and Angel Fernandes of Spain completing his squad.
What are players betting with?
Though betting on papal elections is frowned upon in Italy, Fantapapa doesn't involve any money. Instead, players are competing for something more valuable — bragging rights.
"You can have eternal glory," Pachi said. "Because you are the one guessing the pope."
The radio version of this story was produced by Adam Bearne and edited by Ashley Westerman.
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