Peakmonsters says that you've got well less than $600 worth of cards (many of which you've probably gotten from the currently excessive rewards). Your collection rating says that you've got well less than $500 of non-duplicate cards. You wouldn't (and shouldn't) be anywhere near Champion I if it weren't for the bots because, looking at your collection on Peakmonsters, you simply don't have the cards to play at that level even if you were jacekw.

Unfortunately, Splinterlands is currently pay-to-play. What the developers really need to do is have a separate ladder without a collection score but offer much lower rewards.

Would you find that acceptable?