If you’ve ever tried to cop a pair of limited-edition sneakers online, you already know — it’s war out there! You wait for the countdown, hit refresh at just the right second, but still… your dream pair is sold out in seconds.
Online drops and raffles are wildly competitive. As you can imagine — or may already have experienced — most sneakerheads end up missing out on countless opportunities not because they’re slow, but because they’re not prepared.
If you’re serious about mastering drops and winning raffles, it’s time to stop relying on luck and start using smart tools. You might want to check out proxies, and here’s a quick guide on how.
Online Drops and Raffles: How They Work and Why They’re So Ruthless
Brands love hype. That’s why they do raffles and limited first-come, first-served releases — aka “drops” — for super-exclusive sneakers. It creates buzz, drives traffic, and builds brand clout. But for buyers? It’s nothing but chaos.
Picture this: millions of people hitting the same page at the same time, all hoping to grab one of a few thousand pairs. Bots, queues, loading issues, and sold-out screens are the norm. Even if you’re fast, you’re battling against bots that can hit the site hundreds of times a second. So… how do you even stand a chance?
The Sneakerhead’s Secret Weapon
Proxies are digital tools that stand between you and your internet traffic. While using them, your request from your device and IP address doesn’t go directly to a site. Instead, the proxy routes it through another IP — usually one that looks like a real user somewhere else in the world.
Why does this matter for drops and raffles? Most retailers limit how many entries or checkouts can come from the same IP. If they see 5, 10, or 100 requests all from the same spot, that’s a red flag. And what happens next? Your entries get blocked, your cart gets wiped, somebody else gets your sneakers… game over.
However, if you’re using proxies during raffles for shoes, every entry looks like it’s coming from a different, legit user. That gives you more chances to win, more speed, and way less risk of getting blocked.
Best Proxies for Drops and Raffles
There are a few different types of proxies, and of course, each has its own advantages and disadvantages for sneaker copping. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Residential Proxies: These are gold. They come from real IP addresses tied to real devices, which makes them super hard to detect. Best for raffles and sensitive drops.
- Data Center Proxies: These are fast and cheap, but also more likely to get flagged. In a nutshell, datacenter proxies are good for quick tasks but not ideal for raffles that need to look human.
- ISP Proxies: This is a mix of both worlds. Providers host ISP proxies in data centers but register them as residential. Because of this, they’re both fast and legit-looking at the same time.
Using Proxies for Raffles (The Smart Way)
Alright, you think you’re all set to enter a raffle. You’ve got your one email, your name, and your regular IP. Cool… but that’s just one shot. One chance. Now, what if you bring proxies into the mix? Suddenly, you can run a bunch of entries, each coming from a different IP, each one looking like it’s from a totally different person.
Now, before you go wild, make sure you’re still playing smart:
- Use legit emails (catchalls work great)
- Don’t submit all your entries at once
- Vary your details just enough to look human
- Spread out your entries using different proxies and delays.
Sites are cracking down on obvious bot behavior, so keep it natural. The goal isn’t to spam entries — it’s to look like 20 unique people who just happen to all love sneakers.
What About Online Drops?
Drops are more intense than raffles because they happen in real-time. You need speed and stealth. That’s where proxies work best when paired with bots. Most sneaker bots (like Kodai, MEK, or NSB) allow you to load up a list of proxies so you can run multiple tasks at once — each with a different IP. That means more carts, more chances, and less chance of getting banned mid-drop.
Here are some quick tips:
- Rotate your proxies regularly to avoid IP bans
- Don’t overload a single site with tasks
- Always test proxies before the drop to make sure they’re working
Parting Shot
Winning a drop or a raffle isn’t about being lucky. It’s about stacking the odds in your favor. Proxies are a huge part of that. Whether you’re trying to score one pair for yourself or build a full sneaker reselling business, the tools you use make all the difference. So if you’re tired of missing out, tired of “sold out” screens, and tired of leaving it all to chance… it might be time to level up your setup and give proxies a shot.
