A plan by Adrian Portelli, aka Lambo Guy, to give away the five properties from the latest season of The Block – or $8 million in cash – came to nothing on Thursday night as a live Facebook auction was derailed by technical issues. Portelli runs giveaways through his members-only shopping discount site LMCT+, with levels of membership (ranging from $20 to $100 a month) conferring increasing numbers of entries.
The 35-year-old, who was recently in court contesting reckless driving charges, has promised the draw will now happen on Friday night instead. He explained, shortly after the debacle during the attempted prize draw on Boxing Day, "I have made the decision to draw the winners tomorrow." He attributed the hiccup to the website crashing "because of all the traffic running through." Portelli added, "I’m not playing around. I want to personally go over everything and assure everything is running as it should before we continue this giveaway. So we have paused it. We are going to run it [on Friday]." He acknowledged, "This is what happens when you run things live, unfortunately, and this is how you know it’s all legitimate because things like this happen."
To the surprise of many, Portelli’s supporters were overwhelmingly positive on the LMCT+ Facebook page. Comments poured in praising him as an "honest businessman" and "awesome person" who had made the "right decision." Many users expressed eagerness for the rescheduled draw, with one saying, "Love the honesty mate," encapsulating positivity throughout almost 3,000 comments, very few of which cast doubt on his integrity.
Yet such blind faith isn’t universal. An unofficial LMCT+ Facebook page showcased contrasting views, with some members expressing skepticism and even labeling Portelli's operations as scams. One individual wrote, "I used to be an LMCT member but just realized, looking at it, it’s a scam," highlighting the divide among perceptions of Portelli and his online efforts. The scrutiny over his business practices isn't unwarranted, as South Australia’s gambling regulator has charged Portelli and his company Xclusive Tech Pty Ltd with nine counts of being involved in "the conduct of an unlawful lottery" related to various promotions offering lucrative prizes, including cash, cars, and properties from The Block.
It’s important to note, as reported by major outlets, this coverage does not suggest Portelli or LMCT+ are guilty of illegal conduct, especially as legal proceedings are still forthcoming. This isn’t the first time Portelli has been embroiled in controversy related to technical glitches. Back in November 2021, Xclusive Tech faced backlash after participating in another online auction for a classic 1976 Ford Falcon coupe. During this event, Portelli ended up bidding against another company, with confusion over time zones leading to claims of victory by two different parties. After the glitch was uncovered, another auction was run, resulting in Portelli winning the vehicle.
The terms and conditions for LMCT+'s The Block giveaway state explicitly, "We are not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of computer systems, servers, software, internet service provider, or e-mail systems, failure of any entry to be received on account of technical problems or incomplete, late, lost, damaged, illegible or misdirected electronic communications, or any combination thereof." These stipulations indicate awareness of potential complications arising from online promotions.
Despite the setbacks, Portelli remains determined. A few hours following the disruption, he released another video on social media, promising fans, "I am coming back for vengeance. Tonight’s show is going to be absolute killer; it’s going to be our biggest show ever." His commitment to entertain and engage with his audience is evident, as he seeks to redeem the unfortunate occurrence surrounding the failed draw.
