The top rankers typically do each level LOTS of times. As soon as they get a bad board that’s going to waste a couple of seconds, they flee and start over. They get through the two mob levels as fast as possible, then dump a pile of items and specials to clear the third level in one turn. If you have the time, patience, and money (or we flasks) to do so, you should be able to get top 500.
The rest of us just hope to be in the 10 backpacks category by the end. (Actually, I’m probably one or two chest levels from one level better loot than that in rare, but not trying, despite the 11 we flasks I have from the last couple of challenge events.)
Since this was totally off topic: I love Finley and am very happy to have pulled him. As soon as I finish Agwe (4/62), he’s getting fed and will be my first fully ascended blue 5 star.