Every ten minutes, the Bitcoin network holds a lottery.
The prize? The full block reward — currently 3.125 BTC. Millions of mining machines around the world are competing for it simultaneously. Most of them are in industrial warehouses, owned by large mining companies, running thousands of specialised chips around the clock.
And then there's a small, orange-lit device sitting on someone's desk in Melbourne, humming quietly and joining in on the same lottery.
That's Bitcoin solo mining.
What Is Bitcoin Mining?
Before we get to solo mining specifically, let's cover the basics quickly.
Bitcoin transactions need to be verified and recorded. Roughly every ten minutes, a new "block" of transactions is bundled together and added to the blockchain. To do this, the network requires someone to solve a complex mathematical puzzle — a process called proof of work.
Mining is the act of solving that puzzle. Your hardware runs billions of calculations per second (measured in hash rate — gigahashes or terahashes per second) trying to find the correct answer. The miner who finds it first wins the block reward and broadcasts the new block to the network.
It's competitive, energy-intensive, and entirely decentralised. No one controls it.
Solo Mining vs Pool Mining
There are two ways to mine Bitcoin: solo or in a pool. The difference comes down to how you handle odds and rewards.
Pool mining is what most people do. You connect your hardware to a mining pool — a service that combines the hash rate of thousands of miners. When the pool wins a block, the reward is split proportionally based on how much computing power each miner contributed. You get smaller, more frequent payouts.
Solo mining means you point your miner directly at the Bitcoin network (via a solo mining pool that doesn't split rewards). If your hardware solves the block, you keep everything. If not, you get nothing for that round. It's a genuine lottery — low probability, high reward.
The Odds — And Why They're Not as Crazy as They Sound
The honest answer: the odds of a small home miner winning a block are very low. A Bitaxe Gamma running at 1.2 TH/s competes against a global network currently running at around 800 exahashes per second.
But here's what makes solo mining compelling despite those odds:
- It's already happened. Multiple Bitaxe devices have won full blocks. Real people, running small home miners, have received 3+ BTC in a single event. It's not theoretical.
- You only need to win once. At today's prices, a single block win covers the cost of the hardware thousands of times over.
- You're participating, not just investing. Unlike buying Bitcoin on an exchange, solo mining means you're actively contributing to the network. Your hardware validates transactions and strengthens decentralisation every second it runs.
- The cost is low. A Bitaxe draws 17–30W — less than a light bulb. Your ongoing cost is minimal.
Think of it like this: buying a lottery ticket gives you a one-in-millions chance with no ongoing value. Running a Bitaxe gives you a small but real shot at a block reward, while simultaneously supporting the Bitcoin network, learning how mining works, and having a device that hashes 24/7 whether you're watching it or not.
What Hardware Do You Need?
The barrier to entry for solo mining is much lower than most people think. You don't need a warehouse or a three-phase power connection.
The Bitaxe is the leading open-source Bitcoin miner designed specifically for home use. It uses real ASIC chips — the same technology used in industrial miners — in a compact, low-power board that runs off a standard 5V power supply.
Current models available from 32Bitcoins:
- Bitaxe Gamma 601 — 1.2 TH/s, BM1370 ASIC (from the Antminer S21 Pro), 17–30W. Our flagship model, in stock now.
- Bitaxe Supra 401 — 625 GH/s, BM1368 ASIC (from the Antminer S21), 12.5W. Coming soon.
Beyond the miner itself, you'll need:
- A 5V power supply (included with assembled units from 32Bitcoins)
- A WiFi network
- A Bitcoin wallet address to receive any winnings
- About 10 minutes to configure it
Is Solo Mining "Worth It"?
That depends entirely on what you mean by worth it.
If you're asking whether a Bitaxe will generate consistent income — no. Pool mining with industrial hardware does that. Solo mining with a Bitaxe is a lottery ticket that also happens to be a fully functional computer running 24/7.
If you're asking whether it's a legitimate way to potentially win Bitcoin, learn how the network works, support decentralisation, and own a piece of genuinely interesting open-source hardware — then yes, absolutely.
The people who get the most out of solo mining tend to be:
- Bitcoin enthusiasts who want to participate in the network, not just hold
- Tinkerers who enjoy setting up and monitoring hardware
- Anyone who understands that a small chance at 3.125 BTC is still a real chance
How to Get Started
Getting a Bitaxe up and mining takes less time than setting up most consumer electronics:
- Buy a fully assembled Bitaxe — our units come with PSU and stand included
- Power it on — it broadcasts a WiFi hotspot on first boot
- Connect to AxeOS — the Bitaxe's browser-based interface — and enter your WiFi credentials
- Set your Bitcoin wallet address — this is where any block reward would be sent
- Point it at a solo mining pool — we recommend web.public-pool.io or web.solo-pool.io (free, no registration)
- Watch it hash — the AxeOS dashboard shows your real-time hash rate, temperature, and best share
We have a detailed setup guide in our Guides section if you want a step-by-step walkthrough with screenshots.
The Bigger Picture
Bitcoin's security model depends on mining being distributed. When hashing power is concentrated in the hands of a few large companies, the network becomes more vulnerable to censorship and control. Every home miner — even a tiny one — adds to the resilience of the network.
Satoshi's original vision was a world where anyone with a computer could participate in mining. That vision is harder to achieve today, but devices like the Bitaxe are keeping it alive. Running one isn't just financially interesting — it's a meaningful act of participation in something genuinely important.
Ready to start mining? The Bitaxe Gamma 601 is our current in-stock model — fully assembled, ready to plug in, and shipped from Melbourne. Browse all miners →
