There's certainly a science to CBid and you've already found the main component: maximum bids. Set them and forget them. And turn off email notifications. You'll get an email every time someone outbids you and you'll want to get into a war with them.

I set my shipping frequency to weekly and check in the day before my order is going to be processed. If I've only won a 5-pack, I'll round out my order with some stuff I know I can win, such as singles in the $3-5 range or budget 5-packs in the $10-20 range.

Also, be sure to read the descriptions of the products instead of just looking at the photos. I've seen singles of 5 Vegas Gold going for $20 because someone thinks they're bidding on a 5-pack. Don't be that guy!

If you learn the system, it can be very rewarding. I typically am able to buy all of my cigars at 30-40% off the Cigars International price. You can also take advantage of holidays--bids will be pretty sleepy on Thursday for example. And I've found that the Quickies section usually has the best deals because they're up for a much shorter time-frame than 5-packs or boxes, which have three days of bids.

Happy bidding!