From seminar events that are safe even for first-timers, exchange meeting format where you can play against various people, tournament format where you fight for total victory, large-scale events with up to 9 rounds, etc
You may not like mathematics, but I think you may find the content of the rest of this article a bit helpful (and/or entertaining, hopefully)
A 10-rated Neo Genesis Lugia took in over $125,000 at auction and is one of the few cards that can command high-five-figure sums
Plenty of people have the means to print really nice looking and feeling proxies
Or you can alternate cost it for four to ramp a foe, then one to your hand - better than other four-mana options, you might make a friends or help someone dealing with the mana screw