The Block's auction history: How auction order has impacted the results

Every team that competes on The Block is hoping for the best results on auction day and has an ultimate goal: winning the show.

Over the years auction order has been determined in different ways. Sometimes the Blockheads negotiated and decided as a group. Other times it came down to things like a coin flip. But in 2020 things changed in a major way.

Scott Cam revealed the team that won the Domain Super Power, with the most Room Reveal points through the season, would win the power to choose auction order.

Last year Jimmy and Tam won the super power to decide the auction order for every team.

• The Block 2021 listings are live. See them here.

This year that power is back, and All Stars Ronnie and Georgia will be the ones to determine the order in which the houses go under the hammer.

Over the last 16 seasons of the show many things contributed to the final outcome, but auction order has proved to be a powerful factor in the winners, too.

Gallery: All the past winners of The Block and their prize money

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Here’s how the auctions have played out over the last 17 years:

The Block Season 1

In the first season of the renovation show, Adam Thorn and Fiona Mills’ auction was last. Their apartment sold for $751,000, earning them the highest profit of $156,000, as well as the winning prize of $100,000.

The Block Season 2

This season Andrew Rochford and Jamie Nicholson went third in the auction order. Their apartment sold for $868,000, earning the highest profit of $78,000 and the winning prize of $100,000.

The Block Season 3

During this season, contestants Josh and Nisha went first in the auction order. Their apartment sold for $1.105m, earning the highest profit of $205,000 and then the winning prize of $100,000. There was one apartment that failed to sell at auction this year, Chez and Brenton, who went third in auction order.

The Block Season 4

With only one apartment selling at auction, this was the worst result in Block history. Polly and Waz went second in the auction order and were the only team to make a profit, but they only made $15,000. Due to the other three couples’ homes being passed in, they won the $100,000 prize money too.

The Block Season 5

In this season Brad and Lara’s terrace went first in the auction order. It sold for $1.620m, earning them a profit of $506,000 in addition to the $100,000 prize.

The Block Season 6: All Stars

After first appearing on the show in Season 1, Phil and Amity returned for All Stars. This time they went fourth in the auction order. They sold their home for $1.670m, earning them a profit of $295,000 and the $100,000 prize money.

The Block Season 7

This season twin sisters Alisa and Lysandra went first on auction day. Their apartment sold for $1.435m, earning them a profit of $295,000 along with the $100,000 prize.

The Block Season 8: Fans v Faves

With two former Block winners coming back for this season, the auction results proved to be interesting this year. Steve and Chantelle went fourth in the auction order and their apartment sold for $2.470m, earning them a profit of $636,000 and the prize money of $100,000.

The Block Season 9: Glasshouse

Brothers Simon and Shannon went second on auction day. Their apartment sold for $1.900m, earning them a profit of $335,000 and the $100,000 prize. Meanwhile, Michael and Carlene (fifth in auction order) and Darren and Deanne (fourth in auction order) made the bare minimum of $10,000 above reserve on the sale of their apartments.

The Block Season 10: Triple Threat

Despite barely making any money in the season before, Darren and Deanne returned to have another crack at the renovation show. On auction day they went third and their apartment sold for $2.290m, earning a whopping profit of $835,000 and the prize money of $100,000.

The Block Season 11

This season five teams competed on the renovation show. Shay and Dean, who went third in auction order, took out the win. Their apartment sold for $2.3m, earning a profit of $655,000 and on top of that the $100,000 prize money.

The Block Season 12: Soap Factory

Again, this season saw five teams go head to head to battle it out for the top spot. On auction day it was Will and Karlie who went first. It paid off, with their apartment selling for $2.6m, earning a profit of $715,000. They also won the $100,000 prize money for taking out the top result.

The Block Season 13: Elsternwick

This year the Blockheads went back to building houses. On auction day Elyse and Josh went first and their home sold for $3.067m, earning a profit of $447,000 and the prize money of $100,000.

The Block Season 14: The Gatwick

Hayden and Sara, whose apartment went under the hammer second on auction day, took out the top prize. Their home sold for $3.02m, earning a $545,000 profit and scoring them the $100,000 prize as well.

The Block Season 15: The Oslo

In 2019 the Cairns kids Tess and Luke went second on auction day and it paid off for them big time. Their home sold for $3.620m, earning a profit of $630,000 and the $100,000 prize money.

The Block Season 16

For the first time the Domain Super Power was in play. The team with the most points from Room Reveals through the season would win the power to decide auction order and grace the coveted Domain magazine cover.

Jimmy and Tam won the power and in choosing auction order, elected to go second. The decision to go second worked in their favour and House 5 sold for an eye-watering $4,256,000, earning them a profit of $966,000 and the $100,000 prize on top of that. The combined amount is the biggest win ever in the history of The Block.

This year Ronnie and Georgia won the Domain Super Power and after previously going through auctions before, there’s even more riding on their decision.

Taking a look back, the most successful results have come from the teams who have gone first on auction day (five teams have won), or second (five teams have won).

This article was originally published by Nine.com.au. Reproduced with permission.