Is a plain ticket similar to a plane ticket?
I don't know about betting nickels. My brother's first year of playing blackjack was only 3 years ago and I set him up with a 10K bankroll, playing $5 and $10 tables just to get some experience before moving to green to black play. He made like $8400 that year which honestly was more than I thought he would with the crowded tables and crappy conditions at the red chip level. BUT, he had a place to live that was free
and a car to get around to all those outlying local type casinos where the low limit games are.
If I was going to try the OP's plan, I would actually move to Vegas, find a cheap apartment, or room to rent. If you are playing low limit like that, you gotta live
really cheap. Cheaper than $40/night, which amounts to $1200/month. I would find a cheap, studio apartment, for $500/$600 (try to find a reasonably safe area).
Next transportation. Low limit play requires you getting away from the strip and downtown. There are a few downtown properties that will be in your rotation, El cortez, the D, maybe a couple others and a couple "near" strip properties like hooters, Silver Severs, but for the most part, you have to hit the local casino circuit, Boyd, stations, east cannery, fiestas, silverton, rampart, maybe longhorn/big horn with their advantageous BJ rules but risky locations. I am sure there are a few others that aren't coming to mind.
So you got either have a car, or use public transportation. Monthly public transportation bus pass is $65 (half price for seniors/disables). That is probably cheapest way to move about, but not very efficient time-wise.
Next food. On this type of shoe-string plan, you want comps to cover your food need. BUT playing blackjack rated is problematic. More so at higher levels, but still somewhat problematic at low limits, plus they don't give all that much for blackjack play in general, let alone low limit play. Your best bet is to learn and play a very limited amount of video poker. Just enough to generate low level, buffet and coffee house food comps. That same small amount of play will also generate mailers, with small amounts weekly and monthly free play. Enough that your total cost of machine play should be at least break even. But again, you have to have a permanent address to get mailers.
One final tip. Purchase at least one American Casino Guide (about $15) and Las Vegas Advisor (about $35) membership coupon books. There are free play coupons (machines) and match play coupons (blackjack) of a couple worth a hundred dollars and probably (40) half price buffet coupons to many local casinos. Use the 1/2 price coupon and pay with points, allowing your points to go farther. Also eliminates sales tax.
And finally....I am not necessarily endorsing or recommending this plan.
Just offering some suggestions should you decide to do it.
