, ▁Oklahoma , ▁though ▁she ▁turned ▁ 6 ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁national ▁Be e . ▁There ▁were ▁ 2 0 ▁spell ers ▁this ▁year ▁age ▁ 1 0 ▁or ▁younger . ▁The ▁largest ▁age ▁group ▁was ▁ 1 3 , ▁with ▁ 9 9 ▁contest ants . ▁Se vent y - three ▁spell ers ▁were ▁return ▁contest ants : ▁ 5 6 ▁two - time ▁contest ants , ▁ 1 4 ▁three - time ▁contest ants , ▁and ▁three ▁were ▁particip ating ▁in ▁their ▁fourth ▁national ▁Be e . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁a ▁report ▁on ▁the ▁e ve ▁of ▁the ▁Be e ▁in ▁the ▁Associ ated ▁Press , ▁there ▁were ▁three ▁" cons ensus ▁favor ites " ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁competition , ▁including ▁Sh ou rav ▁Das ari ▁( of ▁Con roe , ▁Texas ▁and ▁winner ▁of ▁the ▁Houston ▁area ▁be e ), ▁Si y ona ▁M ish ra ▁( who ▁finished ▁ 9 th ▁last ▁year ), ▁and ▁Te jas ▁M uth us amy ▁( a ▁four - time ▁Be e ▁sp eller ). ▁M ish ra ▁and ▁M uth us amy ▁did ▁advance ▁to ▁the ▁final ▁ 1 5 , ▁Das ari ▁placed ▁ 4 th . ▁ ▁Day ▁One ▁and ▁Day ▁Two ▁The ▁Be e ▁began ▁on ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁T ues day , ▁May ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁when ▁the ▁contest ants ▁took ▁their ▁opening ▁written ▁test ▁( the ▁" first ▁round "). ▁On ▁Wed nes day ▁May ▁ 3 1