Octopus Paul predicts Spain to win World Cup

BERLIN (Reuters) -- Germany's oracle octopus Paul picked Spain to beat the Netherlands in the World Cup final on Sunday in a live television broadcast watched across Europe.

The two-year-old celebrity octopus, who has accurately picked the outcome of all six of Germany's World Cup matches so far, quickly tipped Spain to beat the Netherlands. It took him only three minutes to make up his mind.
"That was fast -- it looks like a clear-cut victory for Spain," said Tanja Munzig, spokeswoman for Sea Life in Oberhausen. She was surprised by his speed in picking Spain. For some matches it took Paul 70 minutes to decide.
The octopus, considered by some to be the most intelligent of all invertebrates, got the choice of picking food from two different transparent containers lowered into his tank -- one with a Dutch flag on it and one with Spain's flag.
Reaction in Spain was swift, with the country's biggest selling sports daily website Marca.com running the headline: "The octopus Paul makes us champions".
The container Paul opens first is regarded as his pick. On Friday he wasted no time in diving for the container on the right side with the Spanish flag on it.
Two German television networks interrupted their programming for live coverage of the two-year-old celebrity octopus's picks. Networks in Spain, the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe also broadcast Paul's decision live.
Earlier on Friday, Germans heaved a sigh of relief when Paul tipped Germany to beat Uruguay in the World Cup match for third place. There were cheers in offices across Germany after crowds of viewers tuned in to watch Paul live.
Normally he only picks Germany matches. But for the final Sea Life made an exception.
The octopus in Oberhausen turned into a global celebrity for correctly picking the winners of all six of Germany's World Cup matches -- including their two defeats to Serbia and Spain.
On Friday Paul first settled on top of the Germany container but after a few minutes shifted to the Uruguay container. Then after about 15 minutes he went back to Germany container, quickly opened the lid and ate the morsel of food inside.
Not an ordinarily superstitious people, Germans have become believers in Paul's possible psychic powers. The country was shocked and distraught when he picked Spain to beat Germany after tipping German wins over Argentina, England, Ghana and Australia.
Paul's selections have become top news across Germany and around the world. Some commentators even wondered aloud whether his improbable winning streak might have begun to influence some of the more superstitious players.
But after Paul accurately picked Spain to beat Germany in the semi-final, some Germans called for a public roasting of the oracle octopus. Newspapers and websites were filled with suggestions on how to cook and eat him.
Officials at Sea Life in Oberhausen have installed extra security to protect their octopus.
"Paul is in safe hands with us," said Munzig.
Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero was quoted in Spanish media reports saying -- in jest -- he was concerned about Paul's safety.
"I am concerned for the octopus...I am thinking of sending him a protective team," Zapatero said.
Spain's Environment and Fisheries Minister Elena Espinosa also said: "On Monday I shall be at the European Council of Ministers and I shall be asking for a (fishing) ban on Paul the octopus so Germans do not eat him."

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Photo: AFP

Germans shell-shocked by oracle octopus

BERLIN (Reuters) -- Germany was in a state of shock on Tuesday after their "oracle octopus" Paul picked Spain to win the World Cup semifinal match against Germany in South Africa on Wednesday.

Not an ordinarily superstitious people, Germans have become believers in Paul's possible psychic powers.
"This is not a good omen," wrote Bild newspaper's online edition after the news of Paul's pick flashed across Germany.
The octopus has turned into an international celebrity after accurately picking the winner of all five German World Cup matches to date -- including its 1-0 loss to Serbia.
Two national networks interrupted their programming on Tuesday for live coverage of Paul's latest forecast, and groans of disappointment rang out across Germany after Paul went for a container with a morsel of food in it bearing the Spanish flag.
"We were all a little bit shocked when Paul picked Spain," said Tanja Munzig, a spokeswoman for Sea Life in Oberhausen. "To err is not only human -- animals can also make mistakes. Let's hope Paul got this one wrong."
The octopus, considered by some to be the most intelligent of all invertebrates, was again given the choice of picking food from two different transparent containers lowered into his tank -- one with a German flag on it and one with a Spanish.
The container Paul opens first is regarded as his pick for the match. Paul first put his tentacles around the German container before moving to his left to the Spanish box -- first opening the lid and then snatching the morsel of food inside.
Germans stunned by Paul's decision to pick Spain took consolation in the fact that Paul got one of his five picks wrong at the Euro in 2008. Oddly enough it also involved Spain: In the final Paul picked Germany over Spain. But Spain won 1-0.
It was Paul's only inaccurate pick of that tournament. He has never been wrong since and has an overall record of 9-1.
"Maybe Paul was just trying to give Spain a false sense of security," said Munzig, who said scores of journalists were at Sea Life to witness Paul's latest pick. Thousands of people have visited Sea Life to see Germany's newest celebrity.
"To be honest I'm going to have butterflies in my stomach watching the Spain match," she added. "I'm not a superstitious person but he's had an incredible winning streak so far."
Paul was born in England. He has been five for five at the World Cup. He picked Germany wins over Australia, Ghana, England and Argentina -- as well as their Group D loss to Serbia.
Media attention over Paul's picks in Germany and abroad has grown with each pick and some commentators have even wondered aloud whether his uncanny run might even be having an influence on superstitious players.
Paul's winning streak may have contributed to a growing superstition among the Germany team.
Germany coach Joachim Loew admitted he will not wash a favorite blue sweater as long as his team keeps winning. Loew said he bowed to pressure from other coaching staff and players to keep wearing the sweater for their matches.
Every time Loew wore the blue V-neck sweater Germany scored four goals. "I am not even allowed to wash it now and I think I will wear it again (against Spain)," Loew said on Monday.

Copyright 2010 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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All hail Paul the psychic octopus

Who's right - the dolphin or the octopus?

By Agence France-Presse

It takes a brave creature to disagree with Paul, Germany's soothsaying octopus, who has an impeccable track record on World Cup predictions to date.
But step (or swim) forward Sayco, the dolphin from the Argentine port city of Mar del Plata.
Sayco's keepers at the city aquarium decided on Thursday to see if the friendly creature preferred to play with a ball in German red-black-gold or Argentine sky blue and white.
Leaping four metres out of the water, Sayco unhesitatingly went for the Argentine ball placed on a platform above his pool.
Locals immediately saw a positive omen, with Argentina set to face Germany in the World Cup quarter-finals in Cape Town on Sunday.
Even so, Sayco does not have the track record of Paul, an eight-legged oracle in the Germany city of Oberhausen, who has shot to stardom for his spot-on predictions and who has forecast a German win.
Paul needed just eight seconds to make up his mind about the Germans' chances against England -- even though he was born in England -- and earlier in the tournament he correctly tipped wins over Ghana and Australia.
Not only that, he proved he is not just attracted by Germany's flag by correctly predicting a loss to Serbia in the group phase.