David Bonaddio, Real Estate Reporter
First published 11 Nov 2026, 12:00pm
Former champions Steph and Gian Ottavio still hold the show’s biggest pure cash prize record after collecting $1.75m in 2023.
The Block’s former record holders Steph and Gian Ottavio have congratulated this year’s $1.87m winners, but say there is one crown they still hold.
The 2023 champions’ $1.75m cash windfall remains the show’s biggest, despite Courtney and Sev overtaking them with a record-breaking package of money and prizes.
“They are the biggest prize winners of the show, but we’re the biggest cash prize winners of the show,” Steph said.
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“I’m more than happy to share a title.”
But Gian had a cheekier response to the $500,000 collection of prizes that helped push the Brisbane best friends into the record books.
Relaying his reaction during the interview, Steph said her husband would rather have money than merchandise.
“I’d rather have cash than accessories,” Gian joked.
“Are they going to cut the Rolex in half?”
Steph and Gian Ottavio say they are happy to share the title of biggest winners, but joked they would rather have cash than accessories. Picture: Instagram
The prize package includes a $15,000 Rolex, a plunge pool, a boat, a car and $75,000 in cash, among other rewards.
Courtney and Sev secured $1.27m above reserve when their Mount Eliza home sold for $4.72m, with a $100,000 winner’s bonus and the $500,000 prize pool taking their total winnings to $1.87m.
But the cash component of their prize haul was $1.445m, compared with the $1.75m Steph and Gian collected when billionaire Adrian Portelli bought their Hampton East home for $5m in 2023.
The former champions also retain the biggest auction profit, having made $1.65m above reserve, $380,000 more than Courtney and Sev.
Architect and 2023 winner Steph backed Courtney and Sev’s victory, saying their choice to prioritise backyard privacy was the correct move. Picture: Instagram
Steph insisted there were no hard feelings about the new record and said she had already congratulated the winners.
“I don’t think I’m the queen or anything, I’m really happy for the girls,” she said.
But the architect believed Courtney and Sev made one of the smartest decisions of the season before they had even started renovating.
And it had little to do with their interiors.
Steph said the pair’s decision to secure House 4, rather than pursue more prominent positions elsewhere on the Mount Eliza site, ultimately gave them a major advantage.
“I think they made the correct move by moving down to the bottom two houses, purely because of the privacy of the backyard,” she said.
She believed contestants in Houses 1, 2 and 3 were disadvantaged by outdoor spaces that became increasingly exposed as the development took shape.
“The backyards became very exposed for one, two and three,” she said.
“I think naturally they were just never going to be in the running the way that house four and five was.”
Courtney and Sev celebrate inside their Mount Eliza home after securing a record-breaking $1.87m total prize pool. Picture: Channel 9
The assessment comes after Courtney and Sev were questioned during the competition for choosing House 4 over properties offering more substantial water views.
While Steph believed the winners had made the right call, she said Lisa and Rosco’s House 3 had an appealing position near bushland.
“I like that house position, but it doesn’t mean I like the spec of it,” she said.
She ultimately considered Houses 4 and 5 the stronger properties because of their positioning and design.
Courtney and Sev’s decision to secure House 4 for its backyard privacy ultimately gave them a major advantage over their competitors. Picture: Channel 9
And despite debate among viewers over whether Courtney and Sev deserved to take home the biggest prize, Steph was happy to back their victory.
“I think one of the best houses won The Block, yes,” she said.
The result means Courtney and Sev have taken the overall winnings record, while Steph and Gian retain their place at the top of the cash leaderboard.
And perhaps more fittingly, both couples made Block history in House 4.
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