X

Japan's World Cup-predicting octopus. Killed. For food

Bet Rabiot didn’t see that result coming.

Zoey Chong Reporter
Zoey is CNET's Asia News Reporter based in Singapore. She prefers variety to monotony and owns an Android mobile device, a Windows PC and Apple's MacBook Pro all at the same time. Outside of the office, she can be found binging on Korean variety shows, if not chilling out with a book at a café recommended by a friend.
See full bio
Zoey Chong
rabiot-octopus

Rabiot the octopus can predict Japan's results at the World Cup by swimming to the area of a pool holding the flag of the team it thinks will win.

 Screengrab by Zoey Chong/CNET

Apparently being psychic doesn't save an animal from becoming food on the table.

Rabiot, the giant Pacific octopus from Hokkaido that successfully predicted Japan's wins and losses thrice in the 2018 World Cup, was "gutted, cleaned and sent off to the market" ahead of a match against the Belgians, South China Morning Post reported Tuesday.

Understandably, people are upset over the eight-legged creature's fate.

There are many animals that have been touted as psychic for their abilities to predict World Cup results, including an adorable white feline called Achilles, who is also deaf. Another octopus that foretold World Cup results called Paul was found dead in its home -- not killed for food -- almost a decade ago.

I don't know if Rabiot saw its own future, but I won't be surprised if anyone tells me karma had a role in Japan's defeat despite a two-goal lead.

Watch this: Best goals of RoboCup 2016

Cambridge Analytica: Everything you need to know about Facebook's data mining scandal.

Tech Enabled: CNET chronicles tech's role in providing new kinds of accessibility.