2019 Spelling Bee Champion and Winning Word
In 2019, the Scripps National Spelling Bee ended in an unprecedented eight-way tie, with eight co-champions sharing the title after the competition exhausted its word list. The event took place at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, and marked the first time in the bee's modern history that all finalists were declared champions. The winning words included "auslaut," "erysipelas," "bougainvillea," "Aurochs," "pendeloque," "cernuous," "koinonia," and "algae," which were drawn from increasingly specialized vocabulary lists. The bee is widely covered by major news outlets, and detailed results are reported by sources such as ESPN and The New York Times Spelling Bee 2019 champions.
Each co-champion received a $50,000 cash prize from Scripps, a $2,500 savings bond, a reference library from Merriam-Webster, and other awards. The competition is broadcast nationally and draws millions of viewers, with rounds streamed on platforms including ESPN and the Scripps website. The bee's word lists are compiled with input from linguists and lexicographers, and the difficulty level has risen steadily over the past decade. The 2019 event highlighted how top spellers now train with word lists that include technical, medical, and scientific terms.
Structure, Rules, and Qualification Process
How Students Qualify
Students typically qualify for the national bee by winning regional spelling bees affiliated with Scripps, which are held in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and several international regions. In 2019, more than 11 million students participated in classroom and school-level bees, narrowing down to about 500 spellers at the national finals. Eligibility is limited to students who have not yet completed the eighth grade and who have not turned 15 before August 1 of the competition year. The bee is a non-profit educational program, and its rules are designed to ensure fairness across public, private, and homeschooled participants.
Competition Format and Rounds
The national bee consists of multiple rounds, beginning with written spelling tests and oral rounds that continue until a champion is determined. In 2019, the format included a written vocabulary test, onstage spelling rounds, and a tiebreaker round when the field was reduced. Judges enforce strict rules on word pronunciation, definition requests, and language-of-origin acknowledgments. The bee uses a standardized word list that draws from Merriam-Webster's unabridged dictionary, and spellers may ask for language of origin, definition, and part of speech before attempting a word.
Records, Notable Trends, and Financial Impact
The 2019 bee set multiple records, including the largest number of co-champions and the highest proportion of finalists with prior competition experience. Several spellers had competed in previous national bees, reflecting a trend toward longer-term preparation and specialized coaching. The event's prize pool and media coverage have grown, with corporate sponsors including Scripps Networks and regional media companies supporting the program. The bee also generates economic activity in its host city through hotel bookings, tourism, and media production contracts.
Scripps Networks Interactive, the parent company at the time of the 2019 bee, reported increased viewership and digital engagement during the competition. The bee's broadcast rights and advertising partnerships contribute to its financial model, while the organization maintains