Can You Really Solo Mine a Block Just by Luck?

Hey guys, Quick question for you all. I don't really get the whole mining thing, but can someone really solo mine a whole block just by pure luck? I know it’s about finding the right hash, but with all these big mining pools, it seems way too tough for solo miners.

You can't really 'fully mine a block' like that. Every hash attempt is random, and the odds are based on luck. Think of it like rolling dice. If you roll a bunch of times, you expect to hit a six a certain number of times, but you could totally roll a six on your first try too. With Bitcoin, the numbers are way larger.

Yeah, I get that now. Thanks for clearing that up!

It's a valid point, but maybe OP is just starting out. People are trying to do what OP suggests with small USB miners, which some call 'lottery mining'. Sure, you can try it, but honestly, you'd probably do better playing the lottery. Joining a mining pool is way more effective than solo mining and wasting electricity for nothing.

Thanks for the info! I wasn't really thinking about mining myself, just curious about how it works.

Nope, it’s not happening. You need real power.

I thought I mentioned USB miners before, but maybe I mixed it up. Checked out a site today and they had these Gekkoscience miners for sale, but they’re out of stock. Not sure if they even make them anymore. Haha, those things are kinda outdated.

This page is only for Bitcoin mining. But there are other coins on the SHA-256 algorithm that are way easier to mine. Just quick math: If Bitcoin is worth 36k, some other mystery coins are way easier to hit blocks on, but still tough with USB sticks.

That quote you shared is spot on. Lots of folks mine just for fun or to learn. Sure, some only care about cashing out quickly, but there are plenty who want to understand how it all works.

I don’t wanna derail the convo, but I’d say watching YouTube on USB mining is way cheaper than actually trying it and realizing it doesn’t pay off.

100% agree with you. I solo mine with SHA256. I have a couple of USB miners just because I like the idea of having every device running something. I also have Antminers at home.

The Bitcoin protocol doesn’t care about your hash power. As long as you send in a share, you’ll eventually get rewarded. Might take ages, but you still earn something. We should support these low-power miners in the community.

My solo miner has been running for years, waiting for my moment.

No question is dumb, just the answers. In theory, someone could hit a block by luck, but calling it luck is misleading. It’s really about probabilities.

Thanks for the detailed reply! I didn’t expect this many responses, haha.

It’s all about stats. You could wait forever or hit a block in an hour. It’s all random.

For what it’s worth, my stats show I’ve been mining a while with no payoff yet. But hey, if you got it, why not solo mine? Plus, it uses so little power.

I prefer to call it possibilities. But saying you found a block after an hour doesn't mean it’ll usually take that long. The average time is way longer.

Could take double that time or more. Both scenarios are possible, but the average time is the key.

Not the same as a lottery. With lotteries, you can buy multiple tickets to improve your odds. In Bitcoin, pools dominate the hashrate, so solo miners have way less chance.