Trying to build stats, but I can't get any projects

I'm pretty new around here, so of course I'm trying to build my stats. Unfortunately, It's been almost impossible for me to accept projects before they're assigned to someone else.

For example, this afternoon I had a project pop up on my Your Projects page, and clicked View to check out the details even before the audio alert sounded. I then clicked to accept the project at the split-second that the 30-second timer expired, but was still notified that it had already been assigned to someone else.

How can this be? There's no possible way that I could have responded any quicker. And if I'm somehow still continually shut out of projects, how am I supposed to build my stats to get more opportunities?

Chuck