2025 National Spelling Bee Odds and Predictions

The Scripps National Spelling Bee turns 100 this year (well, technically 97 competitions thanks to WWII and 2020 covid), and with it comes a full slate of betting markets ranging from the length of the winning word to whether the champion will be wearing braces.

It’s incredibly nerdy, it’s intense, it’s high quality entertainment, and, most importantly, it’s bettable. We’re here for all of it. Below, we break down the latest 2025 Spelling Bee odds, make actual picks for each prop bet, and give you the analysis to back it all up.

When Is The Scripps National Spelling Bee?

The event kicks off on May 27, 2025, with prelims leading into televised rounds later that week.

Where Can I Watch It?

You can watch the Bee on ION, Bounce TV, or stream it via SpellingBee.com, which also posts daily updates and live scoring.

What Does the Winner Get?

The champion takes home $50,000 in prize money, a championship trophy, and more media appearances than they probably want. If there’s one thing these up-and-coming spelling maestros have, it’s charisma, right?

Let’s break down the odds and see if we can spell out some winning picks.

Scripps National Spelling Bee Odds

Check out the latest Scripps National Spelling Bee odds:

The Spelling Bee may not have the hype of a big game or prizefight, but it’s one of the most consistent annual events when it comes to betting value at the top online betting sites. Between age trends, regional dominance, and visual cues like braces or glasses, there’s more data than you’d think hiding in plain sight.

Keep reading to see our Scripps National Spelling Bee predictions and check out how they compare to the best handicappers around.

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Scripps National Spelling Bee Predictions

Check out our predictions for the 97^th Scripps National Spelling Bee:

Length of Winning Word

• Over 9.5 letters (-125)
• Under 9.5 letters (-115)

Let’s start with the obvious: recent winning words have been getting longer and harder to pronounce, let alone spell.

In 2023, the final word was “psammophile” (10 letters), and in 2021, the champ nailed “murraya.” Spelling Bee officials are deliberately upping the ante each year, so this seems one of the most straightforward picks on the board.

There’s a reason the over on 9.5 letters is a slight favorite at -125 odds, but recent history suggests the under might actually be the better play. Here’s a list of the winning words over the past decade of the competition:

• Abseil (2024)
• Psammophile (2023)
• Moorhen (2022)
• Murraya (2021)
• Bougainvillea, Erysipelas, Aiguillette, Pendeloque (2019, tie)
• Koinonia (2018)
• Marocain (2017)
• Feldenkrais, Gesellschaft (2016)
• Scherenschnitte (2015)

Over the last 9 iterations of the Spelling Bee, the winning word has consisted of at least 10 letters 4 times.

Because the final word is essentially random, why not take the under on 9.5 letters at better odds?

Bet: Under 9.5 letters (-115)

First Letter of Final Word

• A-M (-135)
• N-Z (-105)

If you dig into the list of past Scripps champions, you’ll notice a trend: more final words start with letters in the first half of the alphabet. Words like “murraya,” “koinonia,” “feldenkrais,” and “appoggiatura” have all tripped up finalists, and most fall under A–M.

That said, there’s always merit to taking the better odds on the underdog. It’s not like the English language is lacking in words starting with letters N through Z. It’s interesting that 3 of the last 9 winning words have started with the letter “M,” but I think we can chalk that up to sheer randomness.

Let’s roll with N-Z at -105.

Bet: N-Z (-105)

Age of Winner

• Over 12.5 years old (-120)
• Under 12.5 years old (-120)

While there’s always the potential for a rare young phenom, the bulk of recent winners are 13 or 14. That extra year or two of experience matters when you’re navigating root words from multiple languages. The average age of winners over the past decade has hovered around 13.6 years old.

Back in 2016, Nihar Janga became the youngest-ever Spelling Bee winner at the tender age of 11. That was more of the exception than the rule, though, and generally leaning toward older spellers looks like the way to go.

Bet: Over 12.5 years old (-120)

State/Region of Winner

• Texas (+150)
• Florida (+250)
• California (+400)
• New Jersey (+600)
• Kansas (+600)
• New York (+800)
• Pennsylvania (+1000)
• Non-US (+1200)
• Illinois (+1200)

The Lone Star State is a Spelling Bee powerhouse. With 14 all-time champions, Texas leads the nation and is often represented by multiple regional winners. Add in access to elite prep coaches and academic resources, and it’s easy to see why Texas is a perennial threat.

Pennsylvania (+1000) is next up with 8 all-time winners, followed by Colorado, California, Ohio, New York, and Tennessee. PA looks like a pretty good long shot as a result at the +1000 odds, so let’s roll with it. The potential payoff is a healthy one.

Bet: Pennsylvania (+1000)

Winner To Have Braces

• Yes (+100)
• No (N/A)

This prop is basically betting on whether the winner will be in middle school — and that’s historically a pretty safe assumption. Most champions are 12–14 years old, and a decent percentage are rocking orthodontics during their big moment.

Nothing wrong with that! You can’t even bet on “no” here, which is interesting. Guess we’re betting “yes,” friends.

Bet: Yes (+100)

Winner To Wear Glasses

• Yes (-150)
• No (+110)

Roughly 70% of Spelling Bee finalists over the past decade wore glasses during televised rounds. It’s not a stereotype — it’s an observable pattern. Plus, glasses = screen time = more reading = better spelling. It’s science. You can’t refute science.

Bet: Yes (-150)

Scripps National Spelling Bee Winners

The following is a list of the most recent Scripps National Spelling Bee winners: