PHOTO: Block bidder Adrian Portel

Controversial The Block bidder Adrian Portelli just bought one of this year’s unsold houses – and pushed the couple who made it into second place.

There’s been a stunning development in this year’s Block auction saga today, with the man who helped drive up bids for winners Omar and Oz’s home announcing that he’s now bought one of the homes that failed to sell on the day.

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And his purchase has already changed the outcome of the show, pushing a new couple into second place on the auction tally board.

Adrian Portelli was the surprise star of Sunday’s finale, arriving in a Lamborghini for Omar and Oz’s auction and then losing a fierce bidding war with serial Block buyer Danny Wallis.

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And then, he was gone, not sticking around to bid on any of the other four houses.

But taking to Instagram today, multi-millionaire raffle organiser Portelli announced that he had bought controversial Block couple Ankur and Sharon’s house, and would raffle it off as a prize.

Portelli made a splash at Sunday’s first auction – then bailed. Picture: Channel 9

Portelli made a splash at Sunday’s first auction – then bailed. Picture: Channel 9

Nine told news.com.au this afternoon that Portelli paid $4.25m for the home – giving Sharon and Ankur a profit of $170,000 over their $4.08m reserve, and pushing them just ahead of Ryan and Rachel into second place behind Omar and Oz on this year’s Block leaderboard. Sharon and Ankur can add that to the Ford Everest car they’d already won during the season.

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“Well this is going to rustle some feathers … Someone’s winning one of The Block houses! A lot of Australia doubted the man however Adrian has gone and bought Ankur and Sharon’s house 3 and one of you lucky buggers is going to win it!” the post announced.

“Where are the nay-sayers now?”

Promising “more details coming soon,” Portelli linked to his raffle website where those interested could pay to enter the draw.

Portelli thanks the "haters and critics."

Portelli thanks the “haters and critics.”

Omar and Oz won the biggest prize in Block history.

Omar and Oz won the biggest prize in Block history.

Speaking directly to his followers via Instagram stories, Portelli thanked “the haters and critics, for creating a platform for me to absolutely smash this out of the park. Marketing 101, baby!”

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Sharon and Ankur’s home was one of two not to sell at auction this year on The Block, with Dylan and Jenny’s now the only home still on the market.

Sharon and Ankur's home is now off the market.

Sharon and Ankur’s home is now off the market.

Sharon and Ankur’s result means they’ve done a lot better than this year’s surprise Block losers Tom and Sarah-Jane, who had a dream run with the judges all season – then scored a measly $20,000 over their reserve on auction day.

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Omar and Oz were the runaway winners of this Block season, taking home almost $1.7m in winnings – far and away the biggest prize ever awarded on the show. Rachel and Ryan came a very distant second at the auction, with earnings around ten times less than that of just under $170,000 – now narrowly beaten by Sharon and Ankur.

Sharon (left, with husband Ankur) said the season was a “flop.”

Sharon (left, with husband Ankur) said the season was a “flop.”

Contestant Sharon branded The Block’s treechange season a “flop” in an outspoken interview with the Herald Sun this week.

“I think a lot of people thought being the biggest Block, the tree change idea might have come a year too late,” she told the publication.

“It’s just a shame it was a flop. You go into these things knowing that potentially this could be an outcome for so many of us, but no one could have imagined what happened and it’s a bad taste for everyone who’s worked so hard.”

READ MORE VIA NEWS.COM.AU

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