Entries:
Click here to submit your entry.
List your top ten picks for Pope, in order from most likely to least likely. You may not list the same name more than once. If you do, only the highest point total for each name will be eligible for points.
List the continent you think is most likely to produce the next Pope. We are defining this as the continent of the new Pope’s birth.
List the number of voting rounds held which do *not* produce a new Pope (if a new Pope is named on the first ballot, the winning number is zero).
List the five names you think are most likely for the new Pope to adopt as his Papal name, in order from most likely to least likely. You may not list the same name more than once. If you do, only the highest point total for each name will be eligible for points.
Scoring:
Once the new Pope is announced, entries will be scored as follows:
Correctly listing the Pope on your top ten list, with points given based on how high the new Pope was on your list (14 points for most likely, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 for spots two through ten). If the same name is listed more than once on an entry, only the highest point level will be awarded.
Correctly picking the continent of birth for the new Pope (five points).
8 – X points for the difference between your guess and the actual number of voting rounds that occur without producing a Pope. For instance, if you predicted 6 rounds that don’t produce a Pope (Pope selected on seventh ballot), and there are instead 11 rounds (Pope selected on twelfth ballot), you would receive 3 points (8 – (11-6)). It is possible to score in the negative on this question.
Correctly listing the name adopted by the new Pope, with points given based on how high the new Pope’s name was on your list and reduced down the list (9 points for most likely, 4, 3, 2, 1 for spots two through five). If the same name is listed more than once on an entry, only the highest point level will be awarded.
Deadline:
The Vatican has announced the conclave to elect a new Pope will begin May 7. As such, the deadline for submitting/updating your entry will be 6am Vatican time on May 7 (this is midnight May 7 in the Eastern United States). Entries received after that time will not be counted, and entries edited after that time will be reverted (if possible) or removed as invalid.
Winners:
The overall winner with the highest score will be named winner, and will be awarded no prize other than bragging rights of being the world’s greatest Papal Prognosticator. In the case of ties, the following will be used in order as tiebreakers until a winner remains: Correct candidate in first spot, correct name in first spot, closest to number of votes not producing a Pope, points earned for candidate, points earned for name.
Questions:
E-mail rotopope@gmail.com for clarifications. After all entries are received, everyone will receive a list of all entries in advance of the conclave. Good luck!
Click here to submit your entry.