Scripps National Spelling Bee finals tonight: Broadcast channel, time, finalists, and cash prizes revealed
The 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee finals kick off tonight, Thursday, at 8 p.m. ET.
Faizan Zaki, 13, of Dallas, Texas celebrates after correctly spelling his word in the semifinals of the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center on May 28, 2025 in National Harbor,(Getty Images via AFP)
Where to watch the event live:
The finals will be broadcast on ION, a Scripps-owned channel. Viewers can also tune in via other Scripps national networks, including Bounce, Grit, ION Mystery, and Laff.
The event will also stream for free on Scripps’ ad-supported platforms: ION Plus, Scripps News, Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More, and at spellingbee.com.
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Cash prizes –
7th place – $2,000
6th place – $2,500
5th place – $5,000
4th place – $10,000
3rd place – $15,000
2nd place – $25,000
1st place – $50,000
The winner also gets a $2,500 cash prize and reference library from Merriam-Webster.
The finalists –
Esha Marupudi
Age 13, 7th grade
Sponsor: Arizona Educational Foundation (Phoenix, Arizona)
School: BASIS Chandler
Oliver Halkett
Age 13, 7th grade
Sponsor: Los Angeles County Office of Education (Los Angeles, California)
School: Mirman School
Sarvadnya Kadam
Age 14, 8th grade
Sponsor: Tulare County Office of Education (Visalia, California)
School: Oak Grove Elementary School
Sarv Dharavane
Age 11, 5th grade
Sponsor: Georgia Association of Educators (Tucker, Georgia)
School: Austin Elementary School
Harini Murali
Age 13, 8th grade
Sponsor: SNSB Region Three Bee (Edison, New Jersey)
School: Woodrow Wilson Middle School
Brian Liu
Age 13, 8th grade
Sponsor: SNSB Region Four Bee (Great Neck, New York)
School: Great Neck North Middle School
Aishwarya Kallakuri
Age 14, 8th grade
Sponsor: Carolina Panthers (Charlotte, North Carolina)
School: Valor Preparatory Academy
Akshaj Somisetty
Age 13, 8th grade
Sponsor: Pennon Education (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)
School: Mountain View Middle School
Faizan Zaki
Age 13, 7th grade
Sponsor: Dallas Sports Commission (Dallas, Texas)
School: CM Rice Middle School
