Just my opinion - but the company defeated the BOTs with the "Please enter the control code shown below to submit your request" algorythm.
The BOTs were never the problem with people getting the "earlier time stamp" denial. The BOTs were just bogging down the VIPS server - putting an "undue strain on company resources."
Folks still get the denials because open time is so scarce and there's hundreds of people watching it every second waiting for something to pop in they can use.
Nothing to do with BOTs any more - just the fastest real person finger.
Again - only my guess/opinion, but I had relatively the same success before and after the BOT-blocker was implemented.