Yup. I have stories that earned over a thousand and stories that didn't hit 50 bucks. And it's not just algorithms. Sometimes, a random editor liking a story and throwing a little more distribution at it. Luck of the draw.

If you publish a story about your highest paying story or highest earning month and compare the earnings to this story about the downsides, you'll have the answer to your question. A bit cheeky, but also a bit true. lol.