Options Boot Camp

On this episode, Mark and Dan talk about: DeepSeek and its impact on the markets, What strategies Dan uses the most to trade, The fake ticker XYZ becoming an actual ticker for Block, Dan's typical holding period for straddles, Whether Dan will short straddles, and much more. Brought to you by tastytrade.

Options Boot Camp listeners get a special sneak preview of the latest addition to the Options Insider Pro platform - the much-anticipated return of Options Oddities.  Interested in the latest crazy options activity in AMC, Ford, DLTR and much more? Listen to Options Oddities then check out www.TheOptionsInsider.com/shop. 

It's finally here! The first ever Options Insider Pro Q and A Session. This is where our Pro members have the chance to pick the brains of leading options and derivatives experts. We kicked things off with the "Oracle of New Hampshire" himself: Matt Amberson, Founder: Options Research and Technology Services.  Matt answers your questions about: The proper way to structure your options trades When to close/roll your covered calls The most effective, and cheapest, ways to protect your gains using options.  How to incorporate skew data into your options trading.  The best ways to trade options on MEME stocks.  The optimal way to trade options on VIX.  When to trade calendar spreads.  Iron Condors vs. Iron Butterflies vs. Diagonals.  And much more... Want to participate in future Pro Q and A Sessions? Then check out www.TheOptionsInsider.com/shop today. 

Host: Mark Longo, The Options Insider Radio Network Co-Host: Dan Passarelli, Market Taker Mentoring   In this episode, Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli delve into various topics revolving around options trading. They primarily discuss the recent changes to the pattern day trading rules by FINRA, which could potentially lower the $25,000 threshold to a more flexible intraday margin rule. They also reflect on the performance of gold in comparison to the VIX as a gauge of market sentiment amidst fluctuating market conditions. Additionally, the hosts touch on the upcoming earnings season, sharing insights on expected company performances and the volatility trends observed.       

In this episode, hosts Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli dive into a mix of educational and entertaining topics. Dan shares spooky season thoughts and discusses the scariest options strategies and moments in his trading career. Listener questions cover topics like the best fear gauge between gold and VIX, the appropriateness of corporate earnings cycles, hedging long positions, and the possibility of a future episode on collars. They also entertain a uniquely intriguing question about foods associated with options trading, tying in Chicago's rich culinary culture.    01:08 Welcome to Options Bootcamp 04:59 Listener Mail Call 06:51 Market Sentiment and Fear Gauges 17:25 Scariest Option Strategies 22:48 Terrifying Trading Moments 26:11 Unexpected Financial Surprises 28:06 Food and Trading: An Unusual Connection 31:38 Listener Questions: Collars and More 39:15 Conclusion

In this episode of Options Bootcamp, Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli break down the different types of chooser options including European, American, Bermuda, asymmetric, forward start, compound, and even rainbow chooser options. They discuss the use cases for each type, such as in pharmaceuticals, commodity hedging, and trading around significant financial events. Finally, the hosts take listener questions and share career advice for aspiring professional traders.    00:39 Welcome to Options Bootcamp 04:43 Introduction to Exotic Options 05:27 Understanding Chooser Options 08:34 European Style Chooser Options 11:36 American Style Chooser Options 12:59 Bermuda Style Chooser Options 15:09 Asymmetric Chooser Options 16:44 Forward Start Chooser Options 17:48 Compound Chooser Options 18:02 Indecisive Chooser Options 19:22 The Rainbow Option Explained 21:22 Real-World Use Cases for Rainbow Options 24:03 Lookback Chooser Options 26:05 Listener Questions and Poll Results 27:51 Debate on Earnings Season Frequency 31:35 Becoming a Professional Trader 34:11 Conclusion 

In this episode, hosts Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli discuss different options strategies such as covered calls, cash secured puts, and the wheel strategy. They also touch on the growing interest in exotic options and the role of flex options in recent volume spikes. Other topics include the importance of technical indicators for covered calls, the role of various options exchanges, and the potential for gamified options trading education. Additionally, they address listener questions ranging from the uniqueness of the options market to the practicality of using specific brokers and discussing their personal experiences in trading.   00:39 Welcome to Options Boot Camp 01:00 Tasty Trade Platform Overview 03:41 Pro Trading Crate Giveaway 07:12 Mail Call: Listener Questions 08:02 Market Reactions to Fed Announcements 11:30 Options Trading Polls and Insights 16:13 Fantasy Football and Trading 18:15 Question of the Week 22:22 Best Indicator for Covered Calls 23:58 Exotic Options Discussion 25:51 Options Trading Video Games 30:19 Favorite Option Strategies 33:02 Choosing the Right Exchange 36:22 Volume and Market Noise 40:28 Conclusion and Final Thoughts  

In this episode, hosts Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli dive into the world of Asian options, a type of exotic option. They explain how these options differ from standard "vanilla" options by basing their payoff on the average price of an underlying asset over a specific period, rather than its price at a single expiration date. The hosts break down the two main types: fixed-strike and average-strike options, providing clear examples of how their payoffs are calculated. They also discuss the historical origins of the name "Asian options" in the Singaporean commodity markets. The episode highlights the primary use case for these options: reducing volatility and hedging against wild price swings, making them particularly useful for industries like commodities, energy, and foreign exchange. The show also includes the popular "Mail Call" segment, where the hosts answer a listener's question about options flow and market volume statistics for August. Time Stamps [0:00] Intro and episode overview [2:50] Introduction to Exotic Options [4:05] What are Asian Options? [7:00] Average-Strike Asian Options [10:15] Fixed-Strike Asian Options [14:00] Use Cases for Asian Options [17:30] Mail Call: The hosts open the mailbag to answer a listener question about options flow and market volume in Q3. [29:00] Final Thoughts and Conclusion

Join your hosts, Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli as they dive deep into the world of exotic options, tackling questions about their name, their role in the 2008 financial crisis, and whether they're just a marketing gimmick. They also tackle more fundamental questions on scaling into a trade and the practicality of making all options cash-settled. The episode concludes with a forward-looking discussion on how algorithmic and AI trading are reshaping the options market.     Timestamps [00:00:00] - Intro & Sponsor [00:07:00] - What Are Exotic Options? [00:10:00] - Exotic Options & The 2008 Crash [00:15:00] - Scaling into a Trade [00:20:00] - Cash-Settled Options [00:25:00] - Open Interest Updates [00:30:00] - The Rise of Algo & AI Trading [00:35:00] - Outro  

In this episode, our hosts Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli dive into listener questions and hot topics shaping the options market. They break down a recent VIX trade, discuss the fascinating and volatile world of a popular new options stock, and answer a question about the increasing prevalence of exotic "event markets" on brokerage platforms. Timestamps 4:21 Mailbag: A review of a recent VIX flash poll.  5:34 The final outcome of the VIX 25 calls. 7:18 OPEN stock volatility and listener trades. 9:53 Results of a flash poll on trading OPEN. 11:00 The question of the week: Are you comfortable buying and holding the SPX right now? 13:41 Market Taker Question of the Week: How special cash dividends can lead to strike price adjustments, using an example from Pilgrim's Pride. 16:47 Listener question on the possibility of exotic options on major brokerage platforms. 21:48 Listener question about the rise of "event markets" (football binaries) on brokerage platforms.

This episode discusses various exotic options strategies, particularly lookback and fixed strike options, and their potential advantages and costs. Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli also address listener questions and concerns about options trading in the current market climate, including the higher volatility seen in recent earnings reports. They dive into the specifics of how lookback options work, the differences between floating and fixed strike lookback puts, and whether such exotic options are viable for retail traders. The episode also includes interactive audience polls about current VIX levels and earnings trading preferences and updates on the latest addition to the Options Insider Radio Network.   01:12 Welcome to Options Bootcamp 01:50 New Shows and Pro Membership Benefits 03:05 Introducing Dan Passarelli 03:38 Listener Mail Call: Exotic Options 05:00 Exploring Lookback Options 12:32 Fixed Strike Lookback Options Explained 20:39 Question of the Week: VIX Predictions 24:27 Earnings Season Trading Strategies 27:14 Market Taker Question of the Week 30:54 Conclusion and Upcoming Shows  

In this episode, hosts Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli (Market Taker Mentoring) delve into various listener-submitted questions and trading strategies. They talk about a listener's in-depth query on a put calendar trade with Johnson & Johnson and its associated risks, and another listener's covered call strategy dubbed 'Ultra Premium Harvesting.' The hosts also answer inquiries on the use case and risks involved in trading inverse volatility products like SVXY, and discuss the optimal products and strategies for trading precious metals like gold and silver. Additionally, they address a listener's request about visiting the studio and potential local meet-ups.   01:12 Welcome to Options Bootcamp 03:10 Listener Mail Call 03:57 Ben's Epic Treatise on Put Calendars 11:39 Michael K's Ultra Premium Harvesting Strategy 17:00 Exploring Inverse Volatility Products 20:21 Trading Precious Metals 23:21 Listener Annet's Chicago Visit 25:08 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes  

This episode dives deep into Long-Term Equity Anticipation Securities (LEAPS) and their strategic use, particularly in stock substitution strategies. Hosts Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli (Market Taker Mentoring) discuss the fundamental aspects of LEAPS, focusing on their sensitivity to volatility (Vega) rather than gamma, and explain how they can offer a more capital-efficient alternative to outright stock purchases. They elaborate on different strategies, such as using LEAPS for a synthetic covered call, or 'poor man's covered call,' to reduce the overall cost and risk. Additionally, they highlight the need for diligent management of these trades to avoid unwanted outcomes, like forced exercise of the option.   01:04 Welcome to Options Bootcamp 04:15 Basic Training: Learning Options Trading 07:52 Discussing Leaps: Long-Term Equity Anticipation Securities 16:57 Stock Substitution Strategy with Leaps 22:48 Poor Man's Covered Call Strategy 26:15 Conclusion and Next Steps  

In this episode of Options Boot Camp, Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli dive into a myriad of topics regarding options trading. They discuss educational resources available from the Options Insider Radio Network, followed by insights into current options market phenomena including meme stocks, a focus on Palantir and Circle options, and the risks and rewards of specific strategies like spreads and selling premium. They analyze listener questions on challenges facing options traders, including liquidity issues and execution problems. The episode wraps up with a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, exploring his influence on music and the recent surge in pop culture relevance.   01:04 Welcome to Options Boot Camp 03:31 Listener Mail Call 04:51 Market Trends and Analysis 06:02 Meme Stocks and Short Squeezes 09:06 Crypto Market Insights 11:15 Options Trading Challenges 21:11 Audience Insights and Trading Preferences 21:43 The Case for Debit Spreads 23:24 Circle's Puts: Too Good to Be True? 28:49 Open: The Hot Meme Stock 31:45 Remembering Ozzy Osbourne 36:39 Upcoming Events and Final Thoughts  

In this episode, hosts Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli delve into a list of supposedly forgotten or underused options trading terms generated by Chat GPT. They evaluate and discuss each term, including box spreads, conversion reversals, put-call parity, skew, sticky strike versus sticky delta, jelly roll, gamma scalping, pin risk, synthetic positions, and more. The hosts determine whether these terms are truly forgotten or still relevant, sharing their opinions and personal experiences with each concept. The episode provides an insightful look at both historical and obscure options trading terminology.   03:27 Options Drills: Strategies and Techniques 04:15 Forgotten Options Terms: Listener Submissions 06:01 Evaluating ChatGPT's Forgotten Options Terms 20:56 Theta Gamma Trade-Off Discussion 23:01 Double No Touch Options 23:53 Jelly Roll and Forgotten Terms 24:27 Early Exercise Premium 25:11 Second Order Greeks 26:28 Zero Day Strategies and Back Testing 28:55 Put Ratio Back Spreads 30:36 Synthetic Positions and Volatility Smirk 31:35 Risk Reversal and Break Even Volatility 33:07 Dividend Risk and Sticky Vega 35:00 Calendar Butterfly and Forward Volatility 40:05 Vol Cones and Final Thoughts  

In this episode of Options Bootcamp, hosts Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli delve into a series of forgotten trading terms submitted by listeners. Topics include terms from the movie "Boiler Room," scalping, stockbroker, SOES bandits, stock certificates, and more. They also discuss recent trading activities, such as the VIX July 17 puts and IBIT straddle trades. Listener questions about deep in-the-money options and thoughts on the new Pope from Dan’s neighborhood add a touch of humor and relatability.   01:04 Welcome to Options Bootcamp 02:31 Pro Trading Crate Giveaway 04:41 Listener Questions: Forgotten Trading Terms 20:01 The Nostalgia of Physical Stock Certificates 21:47 Forgotten Trading Terms: Round Turn 25:07 Listener Questions: Straddles and VIX Puts 30:43 Asset Class Predictions for the Second Half of the Year 35:30 Deep in the Money Options: Use Cases 37:55 The New Pope and Hot Dog Toppings 40:37 Closing Remarks and Upcoming Shows  

In this episode, hosts Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli (Market Taker Mentoring) delve into various aspects of options trading, starting with a discussion on the current conflicts in the Middle East and their potential impact on volatility indices like the VIX. Listener questions are addressed on topics ranging from early call assignments to the appropriate time to venture into calendar spreads. The hosts also explain the concept of risk premium and the importance of liquidity when trading options. Useful advice is given for enhancing options trading strategies, emphasizing the significance of understanding market conditions and the nuances of different trading instruments.   01:04 Welcome to Options Bootcamp 02:40 Listener Mail Call 06:41 Market Taker Question of the Week 09:37 Understanding Risk Premium 13:12 Transitioning to Calendar Spreads 17:27 Handling Early Option Exercises 21:10 Midpoint Order Execution Challenges 25:07 Conclusion and Future Content  

In this episode of Options Bootcamp, Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli dive deep into the world of options trading terminology that has largely been lost to time. They discuss legacy trading concepts like the 'Texas Hedge,' 'price improvement auctions,' and the 'penny pilot program.' They also reminisce about old order types like 'fill or kill' and explore terms like 'screen trader' and 'spot' in pricing. This episode provides a reflective look at how trading practices and slang have evolved over the years, all while engaging the audience with some light-hearted banter and nostalgia. 00:00 Introduction to Options Insider Radio Network 01:36 Meet the Hosts: Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli 03:49 Forgotten Options Terminology 06:48 Exploring the Penny Pilot Program 12:10 Price Improvement Auctions Explained 15:25 The Texas Hedge Explained 18:03 Fill or Kill Orders: A Blast from the Past 21:42 The Evolution of Screen Trading 23:06 Spot Pricing and Old School Lingo 25:12 Remembering Ticket Charges 26:54 Conclusion and Podcast Promotion  

In this episode of Options Bootcamp, hosts Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli delve into various lesser-known and forgotten options trading terms. They start by reminiscing about their experiences on the trading floor, sharing definitions and history behind terms like Delta Neutral, Leaning on Orders, Squawk Box, and ARB Clerk. They also discuss the significance and evolution of these terms and how they're viewed and used in modern-day trading. The episode further explores the influence of current events on market volatility and polls listeners on related topics. Throughout, they encourage listeners to share their own forgotten options terms to potentially include in future episodes.   01:05 Welcome to Options Bootcamp 03:10 Options Drills: Strategies and Techniques 04:30 Forgotten Options Terminology: Part 2 05:01 Exploring Section 1256 Contracts 10:19 The Concept of Delta Neutral 16:23 Leaning on Orders and Other Trading Floor Terms 23:45 More Lost Trading Terms 23:59 The Antiquated Language of Trading Pits 25:53 The Guts Trade Explained 28:49 The Squawk Box and Its Obsolescence 31:30 The Forgotten Greek: Rho 33:41 The Role of ARB Clerks 36:39 The National Best Bid and Offer (NBBO) 38:33 Listener Mail Call 40:10 Apocalypse Assets and Market Volatility 45:02 Conclusion and Future Episodes