I think whether or not you have bags checked may have something to do with it.

Today I went on standby for LAX-SAN with 6 people already on the list waiting for 1 available seat. After I went up to the gate to request the standby, he asked if I had bags, and I said "No." He gave me the standby documents, I looked up on the screen and now noticed I was Number 1 on the list and the other 6 people were behind me, which was very surprising.

I was on a L fare, which is pretty much the lowest, and I have no status on UA until DEQM is over, so I don't think those played into me being #1 on the list.