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Scripps National Spelling Bee finals tonight: Broadcast channel, time, finalists, and cash prizes revealed
The 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee finals will air tonight at 8 p.m. EDT on ION, a Scripps-owned channel.
The 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee finals kick off tonight, Thursday, at 8 p.m. ET.
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
