Adrian ‘Mr Lambo’ Portelli shocked viewers on the finale of The Block by purchasing all five of the contestants’ homes on Phillip Island for a staggering $15.03 million. Portelli announced his plan to give away all the houses in a massive ‘resort giveaway’ through his LMCT+ raffle business, where the winner would take home the entire resort or $8,000,000 instant tax-free cash instead. This move marks the first time that all Block homes have been purchased by one individual on auction day.
Portelli has been buying up Block houses over the past three seasons and giving them away in his raffles. He revealed that he doesn’t even like Phillip Island and will be giving all five properties away packaged as a ‘resort’. Despite the success of the auction day, many viewers felt that the show was rigged and staged, taking to social media to express their disappointment. However, winners Maddy and Charlotte Harry walked away as the youngest-ever auction winners, making an eye-watering $1.65 million profit from their property’s $1.95 million reserve.
The Block contestants Courtney and Grant Freeman, Kylie and Brad Baker, Kristian and Mimi, and Ricky Recard and Haydn Wise also profited from Portelli’s purchases of their properties. Despite the financial success of the contestants, there were challenges faced throughout the series, including Paige Beechey and Jesse Maguire being replaced by Maddy and Charlotte after arguing off camera. The show’s producers intervened, urging the couple to speak to psychologists and eventually withdraw from the competition.
Maddy and Charlotte faced backlash during the series due to their professional house-flipping experience, making them targets among the other contestants. The sisters described the experience as difficult and triggering as they felt unfairly treated by their co-stars. As Portelli hinted at his departure from The Block, there was speculation about the impact it may have on future record-breaking profits for contestants in upcoming seasons. Despite criticisms of the show’s authenticity, the success of the auction day and Portelli’s raffle giveaway marked a significant milestone in The Block’s history.
