Local bookmakers were left counting their losses yesterday after Paul correctly predicted the winner in the 2010 Fifa World Cup semi-final clash between Spain and Germany.
It was learnt that millions of ringgit were placed on Spain late on Wednesday night after the Internet was abuzz with reports that Paul had picked Spain to win the match, which it eventually did with a 1-0 scoreline. Paul has now become the most unusual celebrity at this year's World Cup after maintaining his perfect record.
The eight-arm soothsayer has now correctly predicted all six of Germany's World Cup games. The "psychic" creature has also gained worldwide celebrity status after being featured on BBC and CNN.
Paul was born in England in 2008 but was later moved to the Oberhausen Sea Life Aquarium.
His keepers at the aquarium claim that the creature is psychic.
They helped him make his prediction by offering him mussels which were placed in two containers, one adorned with the German flag and the other with the Spanish flag.
Whichever vessel Paul chose to eat from, was held to be his tip to win the match -- and his choice of Spain added further weight to his burgeoning reputation. His talent was first spotted during the Euro 2008 finals, when he successfully picked the winner in each of Germany's games until the final, which was also against Spain. His predictions for that tournament was 80 per cent correct.
Local punters will now be anxiously waiting to see Paul's prediction for this Sunday's final between Holland and Spain. However, Paul predicts only games featuring Germany.
But there will be interest in Paul's prediction for the 3rd and 4th placing match between Germany and Uruguay which will be played on Sunday (2.30am local time). So far at the World Cup, Paul predicted Germany's wins over Ghana, Australia, England and Argentina. He angered German fans when he predicted that they would lose to Serbia, which they did.
According to Der Western daily newspaper, there have been "a host of comments on Facebook, Twitter ... suggesting Paul should be fried, barbecued or turned into a seafood salad or paella".
"Others wanted to throw him into the shark tank," the paper reported on its website.
He also received death threats from angry Argentine fans who threatened to eat him after he predicted that Germany would beat Argentina in the quarter-finals. The Germans won that match 4-0.
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