When Sriram Hathwar shared the championship with Ansun Sujoe last year, the last spelling bee tie was in 1962.
So Sriram, who came to cheer on his brother, Jairam, was not expecting another joint victory. Until he was.
"It seems like a once-in-a-lifetime experience," he said. "Then I thought there was an 80 percent chance."
Having joint champions is great for the bee, Sriram said, because it makes spellers know that hard work can pay off and joint championships are possible.
Like others, Sriram said it's much more difficult to be in the audience than it is to be on stage.
"I'm much more nervous on this end of the stage. You're not in control of the words," he said. "I guess I know how parents feel."