Meena Kutti, an eight-year-old parakeet born in India, was advising punters which teams to back, according to its owner, fortune teller M C Mohan, who usually gives tips on business and life.
Mohan said he placed two small envelopes on the floor at his home in Kuala Lumpur and asked Meena to pick the winner -- the Netherlands or Spain -- and without hesitation it chose the one marked "La Furia Roja."
"Meena is one of a kind and is always accurate in her predictions," he was quoted as saying by the New Sunday Times newspaper, which did not give any details of previous forecasts.
Meanwhile, British punters who had backed the Netherlands to beat Spain are switching sides after Paul predicted Spain would win, bookmakers said Friday.
"The 'Paul Effect' has turned the betting on its head," said a spokesman for bookmakers Paddy Power.
Published 11 July 2010, 14:13 IST