World Cup Oracle Octopus Paul to Stay Home

Sand artist Subal Maharana prepares the fortune legend Octopus Paul atop the Spain and Netherlands national flags as a sand sculpture on the eve of the final of the FIFA World Cup 2010 in Bhubaneswar city, India. Photo by EPA/BGNES

The Octopus Paul, who became a World Cup phenomenon after predicting correctly all Germany’s matches and the World Cup final, will not be sold.

The Sea Life aquarium in Oberhausen, Germany has announced that Paul will stay there, despite the good offers by betting offices and zoos around the world.

The last offer came from the zoo in Madrid where the Spanish have even prepared a special water-tank for the oracle octopus.

“After the World Cup tournament, Paul deserves to live the last year of his life surrounded by his true fans in Germany,” Oberhousen citizens said.

Right after the football championship, it was announced that Paul the Octopus will retire.

The intuitive invertebrate will "go into retirement and do what he likes to do best: play with his handlers and delight children who come visit to him,” Tanja Munzig, a spokeswoman for the Sea Life aquarium in Oberhausen, said.

Before each game Sea Life staff helped Paul make his prediction by lowering two boxes of food into his tank, one carrying a German flag and the other bearing that of their opponents. The case he opened first was adjudged to be his predicted winner.

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