The Block 2022: Omar and Oz say they ‘deserved’ to win

The Block winners Omar and Oz have hit back a their critics after they won $1.7 million railing at having to “justify” their success.

The winners of what’s become the most controversial season of The Block have hit back at critics, declaring they “deserved” to win as they “did so well”.

Omar Slaimankhel and Ozman “Oz” Abu Malik took to Monday’s A Current Affair to defend their $1.68 million profit from the sale of a four-bedroom, four hectare property in Gisborne, Victoria.

During Sunday night’s chaotic finale, the pair triumphed after selling their house for $5.6m.

Rachel and Ryan were the only other contestants to win a sizeable amount of money, taking home $169,000.50.

Tom and Sarah-Jane took home $20,000 while the remaining contestants failed to sell their properties on the night.

Omar and Oz are the biggest Block winners ever.

Omar and Oz had the single largest win in The Blockhistory, but some viewers were had suggested there was more to the win.

The auction quickly became contentious as the bidding soared and a back and forth between wealthy would-be buyers.

One of the men, Adrian Portelli, knew Omar and Oz (he greeted the pair with a hug when he arrived) which fuelled baseless rumours he was a fake bidder planted to push up the price for the rural home.

Controversial Block bidder Adrian Portelli has hit back at social media uproar after Omar and Oz took home a combined $1.5m from the auction on Sunday night. Picture: Channel 9

‘We did deserve to win’

Omar and Oz told the Channel 9 program Mr Portelli was not a dummy bidder and there was nothing remiss about their triumph.

“I feel like it happens in this country a lot where you do well and the next day you’re having to justify why you won,” said Omar.

“It’s unfortunate because we did deserve to win and we did so well”.

Mr Portelli posted on Instagram on Monday a snap of himself in a swimming pool with Omar and Oz celebrating the sale.

The house was ultimately bought by serial The Block buyer, Danny Wallis.

Omar said the connection they had with the entrepreneur was an example of good networking.

“We put in work, not only the build, we put in work afterwards, as well. We reached out to so many people, we were non-stop, so hard work does pay off,” he said.

Omar Slaimankhel and Ozman “Oz” Abu Malik took to Monday’s A Current Affair to defend their $1.68 million profit. Picture: Channel 9.

Mr Portelli, who was known as “Lambo Guy” throughout the auction because of the flashy car he arrived in, took to social media to rubbish the rumours.

“For everyone questioning the legitimacy of the auction, I was a genuine buyer with every intention to purchase that property,” he wrote on Instagram on Sunday night.

“Nobody is to blame for what happened. It’s an auction.”

On the Kyle and Jackie O Show, the contentious bidder explained how he came to choose the house to bid on.

He said he’d had a look at the other houses after being contacted by the Block contestants, but he was only interested in the one built by Omar and Oz.

“We met (Omar and Oz) through a mutual friend and they offered (for me) to buy the house,” Mr Portelli said.

“I only liked their house, so why would I stick around?” the businessman asked.

Mr Portelli went head to head with Mr Wallis in the auction as the price climbed well beyond the $4m reserve.

He hit back at critics who questioned his interest in the house and suggested that he didn’t have the funds to back up his sky-high bids.

“Believe it or not but if you’ve got two people that genuinely want the property, a bidding war will happen,” Mr Portelli said.

Adrian Portelli has been dubbed “Lambo man”. Picture- Nicole Cleary

“I’m happy to show my bank account for anyone that suggests these were dummy bids.”

Critics doubted his ability to follow through with his multimillion-dollar bid but Mr Portelli is an online promotions guru worth millions. He founded LMCT+, a promotions and giveaway platform focused on luxury vehicles, houses, and goods.

“I was going to give it away through the business. It was going to be a giveaway house.

Before appearing on one of the most hotly discussed episodes of The Block, Mr Portelli said he’d never seen an episode of the property show.

He maintained that the failed auction was a “business decision” and he would have continued bidding if he had hoped to live in the house built by the Sydney friends.

“I think we rustled a few feathers … but no dummy bidding here. It was all intentional,” he said.