Is this a realistic investing strategy?

NO! IT'S NOT! Any short-term investment of any kind is bound to be a loser! If you're lucky sometimes you may have at best, a 50% chance of making some money. A better bet would be to buy GOOD QUALITY, dividend paying stocks just before the "ex" date. Collect the dividends, sell the stock & just do that over & over again. People do that. :<) Good luck!