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A one-year-old British Shorthair from Northern Ireland has become a worldwide sensation by correctly predicting the results of 19 matches in a row at the 2026 World Cup.
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A screenshot of Billy making his predictions, including for Scotland vs Haiti match (L) during the 2026 World Cup. |
Billy lives with his owners, Linka Lin, 33, and Mark Kelly, 35, in Newry, County Down. For much of the tournament, he was on a flawless streak, accurately calling the winner of every non-draw match he predicted.
Before each game, Linka places two flags representing the competing teams in front of Billy. The cat then uses his paw to tap the flag of his chosen team. This simple method has yielded incredibly accurate results, culminating in 19 correct predictions, including Argentina's recent victory over Austria, Vice Magazine reported
"As a cat, he doesn't seem to be bothered that he's an online influencer," Linka said, as quoted by SWNS. "To us, he's still our cat, still Billy."
She noted that as the tournament progressed, the pressure surrounding the predictions grew, but she remained confident in Billy's ability to handle his newfound fame.
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Billy and his owners, Linka Lin and Mark Kelly. Photo by Instagram/@billy_heartnose |
Linka adopted Billy from an animal rescue organization when he was just three months old. He earned the nickname "Billy Heartnose" due to a heart-shaped marking on his nose.
According to Linka, Billy is highly intelligent and vocal, using different sounds and body language to communicate when he wants to go outside or receive a treat. The prediction videos started by accident, when Linka initially filmed fun quizzes to see if Billy preferred Pepsi or Coca-Cola, or rice over noodles. When she brought home a collection of small flags just as the World Cup kicked off, they decided to test his sports intuition, Daily Star reported.
Linka said sometimes Billy makes decisions very quickly, but other times he thinks for quite a while.
"There was one incident where the whole thing was interrupted as there was a fly in the house and he couldn't concentrate," she told SWNS.
Billy's forecasts are shared on his Instagram handle, @billy_heartnose, which has amassed a large following. The vast majority of reactions have been positive. Even when Billy selects a team that viewers are betting against, they often leave lighthearted comments like, "I forgive you, you're really cute."
While his flawless streak finally ended on Thursday when South Africa defeated South Korea 1-0 (he had chosen South Korea), Billy will continue predicting matches throughout the World Cup.
