I have used 123-Reg for years, and am after a domain name that is going to expire soon. I have previously contacted the owner of the domain, who claims she no longer wants it, but doesn't want to sell it and instead told me to buy it when it expired. So I am guessing that she won't be renewing it, unless she accidently auto-renews it - which wouldn't suprise me in the slightest.
Expired domains seem to have a nasty habit of being snapped up by bots and having adverts plastered on them, even crap ones I have bought that I never got round to using have had this happen to them. So I have decided not to risk it, and see if I can snap the domain up first.
There seem to be an awful lot of domain registrars offering backorder services, or domain watchers, but most seem to want money up front. Today I bought a Domain Watcher from 123-Reg for £15 (+ vat), but upon googling the service it seems that it doesn't actually work. I have heard stories of people getting the watcher, then having to buy it themselves manually because the watcher didn't do it!
The domain is a .com if that makes any difference to your suggestions. It isn't vital I get this domain, I doubt it will be worth anything to anyone else, and I wouldn't pay more than the registration and backorder fee for it. I want to avoid these auction sites as much as possible as I am skeptical that I will be bidding against the registrar, which I don't have the money to do.
I have read articles that recommend snapnames and pool, but these both work on an auction system once they get the domain as far as I can tell. Are there any out there that don't, as I don't want to get rinsed.

Been through this before. Best odds are to use the professional grab services. See this article as it's easier to read it there than type all the info out.
candidity.org/thedrop.htm

The dropcatchers do an auction only if there is more than one backorder. If you doubt it will be worth anything to others, then you should be able to get it for the backorder fee.