So a few years ago I ran a great website that I really enjoyed, but after a while life events caused me to not really be able to devote much time to it anymore and it was largely neglected. During that time, the domain had become expired and I lost it. Following that, it's been re-registered at some point and is currently being squatted upon with no resolving website. I've been patiently waiting for about 6 months because in just a couple of days the domain is currently set to expire. I've purchased a backorder, but I realize that there are a series of phases that occur after the actual expiration date. Series of questions below At what point does the backorder come into play? The domain is registered via wild west domain, which I understand is a division of godaddy. Does having the backorder with godaddy as well aid my chances to any degree? How exactly does the auctioning portion work, and how does that mesh with my backorder? Seeing as the domain is currently set to absolutely nothing, is that a good indicator that the current registrant might not have any intention of having it renewed?
That depends on the "state" of the domain name and the company doing the backorder. If the domain name expired, then the backorder will take effect at the sponsoring registrar or their partner. Beyond that, the backorder will depend on who or what company (e.g. SnapNames) acts quickly. Based on your specifics, see if Wild West Domains does a backorder just like their "sister" company Go Daddy and if the domain name's expired.