From my understanding, a SHA256 hash is generated by a miner and if the hash is less than a specific value, it is passed to its peers. That said, It's possible for multiple hashes to be created at very close to the same time. If this happens, how is the "winner" determined? I see this has happened a lot (multiple orphaned blocks).
What can be done by the miner to see that their block wins the race, either honestly or through an attack? The protocol stipulates that the block shall be recognized by which ever was received first. Is it advantageous to set up peering with other miners?