Solo bitcoin miner makes $200,000 using $150 equipment

Summary

• A solo miner using a low-power, credit-card-sized Bitaxe device unexpectedly mined Bitcoin block 957,382, earning 3.1382 BTC worth about $200,000 despite odds estimated at once in 18,000 years.
• The Bitaxe, an open-source ASIC miner using the same chip as industrial Antminer S21 machines, delivers about 1 to 1.3 terahashes per second at 15 to 21 watts and costs between $60 and $150.
• Solo Bitcoin mining has surged, with 24 blocks found in the past 12 months, a 41% increase year over year.

A solo bitcoin miner recently hit the jackpot in a lottery-like stroke of luck, turning a modest investment into an outsized gain.

The miner equipped with a small, hobbyist-grade device called a Bitaxe recently struck Bitcoin block number 957,382 and walked away with 3.1382 BTC, worth roughly $200,000.

The miner was running the rig for just eight hours through the Public Pool service. His average hash rate？ A measly 995 GH/s, or about 1 terahash per second.

This marks the second time a single Bitaxe has solo-mined a block on Public Pool.

Data tracking handle Public Pool posted the win on X.

Solo BTC miner scores a big win. (Public Pool)What is a Bitaxe？

Its an open-source, credit-card-sized ASIC miner powered by the same Bitmain BM1370 chip found in massive industrial Antminer S21 machines. The Bitaxe Gamma version pumps out 1 to 1.3 TH/s while using just 15-21 watts of power. You can buy one for $60 to $150.

Think of it as the mining equivalent of winning the lottery with a scratch-off ticket from a gas station.

Solo mining is having a moment

This isnt the first time a solo miner has made big gains on a small investment.