The Block can truly change people’s lives, with the contestants winning thousands if not millions of dollars on the show.
Off the back of the history-making 2024 season, the teams are walking away with $15 million shared between them – but there are conditions put on their prize money.
After pouring their hearts and souls into their homes over the course of the competition, the 2024 Blockheads were ecstatic to all take home a pretty penny.
Sydney sisters Maddy and Charlotte ended up with a total of $1.65 million in earnings, followed by Courtney and Grant who won $1.35 million.
The next highest amount was $1,030,000, taken home by Kristian and Mimi, while Ricky and Haydn earned $750,000 and Kylie and Brad won $650,000.
But do the contestants really get to take home their enormous winnings in cold, hard cash? We answer your questions below.
Do The Block winners pay tax on their earnings?
According to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), you don’t have to pay tax on lottery winnings or prizes – including reality TV.
“When it comes to winning prize money on reality TV or game shows, you’d only declare it if you regularly appear on these kinds of shows. Then you’d be more like a professional game show contestant/reality TV star. If it’s more like a one-off thing then no need to declare,” an ATO employee wrote online in a community forum in early 2024.
So, the answer is no: The Block contestants don’t need to pay tax on their prize money, meaning they walk away with their full earnings.
Do The Block contestants get their auction money straight away?
A previous contestant who appeared on The Block told Yahoo Lifestyle that although their money isn’t taxed, there is a condition put on their funds.
“You don’t get it for 12 months,” they shared. “It’s spread over that period so you don’t talk bad on the show and if so, you don’t get your money.”
2023 runners-up Eliza and Liberty also told the publication that contestants receive their prize money “in instalments.”
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