# Give yourself the best chance of catching a name

> How hard a name is to catch depends entirely on how many other people want it. InfraNest is honest about this — each watch shows a catchability verdict — and…

Source: https://infranest.io/docs/improve-catch-odds
Last updated: 2026-09-19

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This guide helps you understand your odds of catching an expiring domain name, and shows you which InfraNest tools to use depending on how many people are chasing it.

## Overview

- How hard a name is to catch depends entirely on how many other people want it.
- InfraNest is upfront about this — every watch shows a **Catchability** verdict.
- Depending on that verdict, different tools give you the best chance of success.

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## Handle an uncontested name

Most watched names — a lapsing name of your own, a niche extension, anything nobody else is chasing — drop quietly and are easy to get.

1. On the watch, choose **Register with my own registrar**.
2. Turn on **Auto-register**.
3. Leave it be. InfraNest checks more and more frequently as the drop approaches, and registers the name the instant it's free. Nothing else is needed.

## Add backup registrars for coverage

Adding more registrars is about **coverage and reliability**, not about winning a contested name outright.

1. Open **Registrars to use** on the watch.
2. Add registrars that span the extensions you watch — a different registrar may cover an extension your first one doesn't, or can step in if one has a problem right at the drop.

> [!NOTE]
> Extra registrars don't help you win a hot `.com` on their own — don't expect them to beat a contested name. They're for spreading your coverage, not adding raw speed.

## Win a contested name with a backorder

For a genuinely sought-after name — a short `.com`, a real word — no ordinary registration beats the professional catch networks that flood the registry the instant it drops. A backorder is the one reliable way to win here.

1. On the watch, choose **Use a backorder service**.
2. InfraNest hands the catch to a specialist (Dynadot), who races for the name on your behalf ahead of the drop.
3. You only pay if it's **Won** — check the watch status to see **Placing…**, **Placed**, **Won**, or **Cancelled**.

> [!TIP]
> If a name really matters to you and it's clearly contested, go straight to a backorder rather than relying on your own registrar — it's the only approach that reliably wins.

## Add a modest edge with parallel racing

If you're auto-registering with your own registrars, **parallel racing** is a premium option that can give a small extra edge.

1. Make sure **Auto-register** is on and you have more than one registrar set up.
2. Turn on parallel racing (premium) in the watch's **Advanced** options.
3. At the drop, InfraNest fires several of your registrars at once instead of one after another.

> [!NOTE]
> Parallel racing gives a modest boost on a contested name without a backorder — but it still won't out-race the professional catch networks. Treat it as an edge, not a guarantee.

## Follow up on a name sent to auction

Sometimes an expiring name is sent to a registrar auction and never actually drops — bidding is the only way to get it.

1. Check your watch's status — InfraNest flips it to **In auction** automatically when this happens.
2. Use the **bid here** link on the watch to go to the listing.
3. Place your bid there instead of waiting for a drop that will never come.

## Tips

- **Uncontested** name → your own registrar with **Auto-register**.
- **Broad coverage** → add backup registrars spanning your extensions.
- **Contested** name → a backorder is the only reliable win; parallel racing adds a small edge.
- **In auction** → follow the bid-here link and bid.