Stop Pool Hopping: Why PPLNS is the Best Payout System for Loyal Miners
Stop Pool Hopping: Why PPLNS is the Best Payout System for Loyal Miners
When you connect your miner to a pool, you aren't just sending hashrate; you are entering a financial agreement. The way the pool calculates your reward determines exactly how much Bitcoin lands in your wallet.
New miners often jump from pool to pool ("Pool Hopping"), chasing the one that found a block most recently. This is a mathematical mistake. To understand why, we need to dive into the mechanics of PPLNS (Pay Per Last N Shares), the system used by Gokby Pool.
The Three Main Payout Methods
PPS (Pay Per Share):
The pool pays you instantly for every share you submit, regardless of whether the pool finds a block or not.- Pros: Consistent income.
- Cons: The pool takes a huge risk, so they charge high fees (2.5% - 4%). You also miss out on transaction fees.
PROP (Proportional):
When a block is found, the reward is split exactly based on the shares submitted during that round.- The Flaw: This encourages "Pool Hoppers." Hoppers join a pool when a round is taking a long time (thinking a block is "due"), and leave immediately after a block is found. This cheats loyal miners.
PPLNS (Pay Per Last N Shares):
This is the industry standard for fair mining. When a block is found, the pool looks back at the last "N" number of shares submitted (a "window" of work), regardless of round boundaries.
Why PPLNS Punishes Hoppers and Rewards Loyalty
Imagine a shift at a factory.
- Worker A (Loyal): Works 8 hours straight.
- Worker B (Hopper): Clocks in for 10 minutes right before the job is finished, tries to get paid, and leaves.
In a PROP system, Worker B might steal a chunk of the reward.
In a PPLNS system, the payout "window" ensures that you must have been contributing consistently over time to get the full reward. If you disconnect (hop away), your shares in the "window" decay, and you get paid nothing for the next block.
The "Ramp Up" Time
When you first connect to a PPLNS pool like Gokby, you might notice your earnings are low for the first few hours. Do not panic.
This is normal. You are building up your "shares in the window." Once your window is full, your earnings stabilize at the maximum rate.
If you disconnect and switch to another pool, you lose that built-up momentum.
The Transaction Fee Bonus
The biggest hidden advantage of PPLNS is Transaction Fees.
In a Bull Market, transaction fees can add 0.5 to 1.0 BTC extra to a block reward.
- PPS Pools: Usually KEEP these fees for themselves.
- PPLNS Pools (Gokby): Distribute these fees to YOU.
Conclusion
Mining is a marathon, not a sprint. Trying to outsmart the system by hopping between pools usually results in lower revenue due to "ramp up" times and higher fees.
The most profitable strategy is simple: Pick a reliable, low-fee PPLNS pool, connect your hardware, and don't touch it.
