'Oracle Octopus' gets death/dinner threats

JOHANNESBURG – Paul, the so-called "Oracle Octopus" of a German aquarium, became an international sensation during the World Cup for consistently predicting the results of Germany's games.

Now it might become dinner.

"Nothing beats grilled octopus," German fan Dolores Lusch told Reuters. "Cut him up in thin slices and grill him on all sides with a dash of lemon juice, olive oil and garlic on it. Delicious!"

Paul's problem? He accurately picked Spain to beat Germany prior to Wednesday's World Cup semifinal, which has led some fans to believe (humorously) that he jinxed their beloved team. They've responded with death/dinner threats.

Prior to Germany games, aquarium workers lower two containers holding food into his tank. Each contains a flag of the nations in an upcoming game. The food he chooses is deemed his selection. In this case, Paul ate from Spain's container.

The choice rattled German players, who acknowledged their surprise that he went with their opponent after choosing Germany in four World Cup victories. Paul also accurately predicted Germany's loss to Serbia in group play.

Continue reading