Psychic Paul’s predictions prove profitable for punters

Paul the oracle octopus has earned up to half a million pounds for William Hill customers who placed bets on his World Cup predictions.

Customers who followed psychic Paul’s predictions have been laughing all the way to the bank as British bookmakers William Hill revealed that they have paid out almost £500,000 due to his accurate selections.

The octopus achieved world wide fame by correctly predicting the result of all of Germany’s games in the World Cup in South Africa, before making his final prophecy that Spain would triumph in the final.

William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said, “Paul's incredible Octop-eight winning selections have won any punter who bet £10 on each one of them almost £200 each, while punters far-sighted enough to keep re-investing their winnings on the next selection all the way through will have won at odds in excess of 300/1.”

Before each match, his keepers would lower a plastic container with two compartments - one for each team - into Paul's tank. A clam was placed into each compartment, and the clam he ate first represented his prediction. Not only did he predict Germany’s victories and Spain to lift the Cup, he also correctly foretold that Germany would lose to Serbia and Spain.

“It was one of the finest tipping feats ever” added Sharpe. “We can but hope Paul has gone to a rest home for retired octopi by the time the next World Cup gets underway.”

It seems that one of the stars of the World Cup has indeed retired, as the English born celebrity announced his retirement shortly after Spain defeated Holland in the final. He will now concentrate on entertaining visitors to his home at Sea Life in Oberhausen, Germany, quashing rumours that a more deadly fate awaited him.

There was still good news for William Hill however, as plenty of gamblers chose to ignore the cephalopod’s predictions, contributing to a betting turnover of £1 billion for the company – a record for a sporting event.