LEARN A TRADING STYLE THAT CAN STIMULATE YOUR INTELLECT, AS WELL AS YOUR WALLET.

An option is a contract to buy (=call) or sell (=put) an agreed-upon quantity of a specific stock or other asset at a specific price, up until a specific expiration date. Traders can write options on stocks they own, but you can also buy and sell options in the open market with no need to own the underlying stock.

Because the value of options is tied to price movement over a given period of time, options are far more volatile than stocks and price changes are dramatic; a $100 stock that goes to $110 has seen a 10% increase, but this might translate to a 100% increase in an option that allows you to buy at $100 anytime in the next six months. It’s not unreasonable that traders ask themselves, “Why should I spend $100 to buy a stock when I can control it with a $5 or $10 option?”

TWO TYPES OF OPTIONS TRADERS: DIRECTIONAL AND NON-DIRECTIONAL
There are two types of options traders, and we teach strategies for both of them in our Options Trader class. First is the directional trader, who uses technical analysis and market timing to predict whether the market is headed up or down, and then magnifies their bet by trading options vs. the underlying stocks.

Traders who believe the market is headed up can buy calls which allow them to buy a stock at a specific price, no matter how high the price may actually climb. Since this provides a no-risk opportunity to buy a stock and immediately sell it at a higher price, the option rises sharply in value if the stock goes up. Puts are for people who think the market is headed down; no matter how low a stock goes, they can sell it at the strike price according to the contract. Remember: there is no need to actually buy and take delivery of the stock. And, once the expiration date passes, the option is worthless.

Non-directional traders are interested in the net premium they retain after the sale of their options, rather than the price of individual options. A simple example is the straddle, which involves buying a put and a call on the same stock at the price with the same expiration date. Straddles are used when a trader expects dramatic movement but is not sure whether the movement will be up are down. If the stock goes up then the put becomes worthless, and the trader is left with the appreciation of the profit on the call, less the loss of the premium paid for the put.

HOW YOU CAN USE OPTIONS FOR RISK MANAGEMENT
The straddle, just described, is a high-risk strategy. But other options strategies are far more conservative and can be an important part of a trader’s capital-preservation toolkit. For example, if you own a stock and think its value might go down, you can hedge by selling a call option at today’s price. What you earn by writing the option partially offsets your potential loss. Or, if you want to buy a stock but feel it is overvalued at today’s price, you can effectively lower the price by selling a put which commits you to buy if it reaches your desired price. You make money from the put, whether or not you end up owning the stock.

ADVANCED OPTIONS TRADING TACTICS THAT PRODUCE A NON-LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
In an efficient market, you’d expect that the price of options would get cheaper as the clock ticks toward their expiration date. And they do... but the process is not linear and that makes for some additional opportunities which in effect give savvy traders a non-level playing field. At Online Trading Academy, students learn how to buy puts and calls at the exact time that our supply and demand rules tell us they are cheap and about to become expensive.

Part of this calculation is an understanding of “The Greeks”—five different measurements of risk, each of them named after a different letter of the Greek alphabet: Delta, Theta, Gamma, Vega (not actually a Greek letter) and Rho. Online Trading Academy options students learn how to master these complex measurements as they build an options strategy which can meet any investment need—from capital preservation to dramatic upside potential in good markets or bad.

Many traders who become experts at options say they find it intellectually satisfying as well as profitable—like playing a great game of chess. Here is a way you can use your native intelligence in an enjoyable way that can also be very rewarding

Online Trading Academy - Extended Learning Track (XLT) - Options Trading

The XLT - Options Trading Course is the logical next step for serious student traders looking to master the trading skills needed to produce consistent profits from options trading and to continue their education beyond the Options Trader Part 1 and Part 2. This course builds on existing trading fundamentals and provides students with the knowledge and skills to create, manage and evolve various options strategies by observing an expert options trader operating in a live market arena using a mechanical approach to identify, assess and execute trading opportunities.

XLT - Options Trading curriculum is uniquely designed to fit with the monthly expiration cycle of a typical options trading calendar. This design allows our team of top options instructors, lead by Eric Ochotnicki, and their students the ability to leverage certain key times of the month to apply the learned concepts as well as identify optimal trading opportunities.

• Learn to identify, assess and execute Options trading opportunities
• Observe an Expert Options Instructor operating in a live market environment
• Learn practical applications that generate consistent profitability

XLT-Options-20090603 - Eric Ochotnicki - Non-Directional Trading.
XLT-Options-20090604 - Eric Ochotnicki - Position Building and JOBS report.
XLT-Options-20090605 - Eric Ochotnicki - Market Analysis.
XLT-Options-20090608 - Eric Ochotnicki - Position Building and Currency Options.
XLT-Options-20090610 - Eric Ochotnicki - Equivalency and Calendar Spreads.
XLT-Options-20090611 - Eric Ochotnicki - Expiration, New Options Cycle, Rolling and Closing.
XLT-Options-20090612 - Eric Ochotnicki - Position Building.
XLT-Options-20090617 - Eric Ochotnicki - Range Trading.
XLT-Options-20090618 - Eric Ochotnicki - Trading and Analysis.
XLT-Options-20090619 - Eric Ochotnicki - Expiration and Creating New Positions for the Next Cycle.
XLT-Options-20090701 - Eric Ochotnicki - Diagonal Spreads.
XLT-Options-20090702 - Eric Ochotnicki - Jobs Report and Postion Building.
XLT-Options-20090706 - Eric Ochotnicki - Position Building.
XLT-Options-20090708 - Eric Ochotnicki - Equivalency, Capital Usage and Calendar Spreads.
XLT-Options-20090709 - Eric Ochotnicki - Expiration, New Options Cycle, Rolling and Closing.
XLT-Options-20090710 - Eric Ochotnicki - Trading Opportunities - Building Positions - Portfolio Manage Mind Set.
XLT-Options-20090715 - Eric Ochotnicki - Swing Trading Related to Mean Reversion, Horizontal Trading.
XLT-Options-20090716 - Eric Ochotnicki - Rolling - Closing.
XLT-Options-20090717 - Eric Ochotnicki - Expiration.
XLT-Options-20090720 - Eric Ochotnicki - New Cycle Orientation.
XLT-Options-20090722 - Eric Ochotnicki - Volatility Analysis.
XLT-Options-20090723 - Eric Ochotnicki - Using the Checklist.
XLT-Options-20090724 - Eric Ochotnicki - Position Building.
XLT-Options-20090730 - Sam Seiden - Identifying Turning Points.
XLT-Options-20090805 - Eric Ochotnicki - Butterfly Toping and Ratio Spreads.
XLT-Options-20090806 - Eric Ochotnicki - Double Diagonals - Preparing for the Jobs Report.
XLT-Options-20090807 - Eric Ochotnicki - Jobs Report avi.
XLT-Options-20090810 - Eric Ochotnicki - Currencies - Commodities.
XLT-Options-20090812 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session Equivalency Calendar Spreads.
XLT-Options-20090813 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session Rolling - Closing.
XLT-Options-20090814 - Eric Ochotnicki - Trading Applications Position Building Butterflies - Ratios.
XLT-Options-20090819 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session Butterflies.
XLT-Options-20090820 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session Rolling - Closing.
XLT-Options-20090821 - Eric Ochotnicki - Trading Application Expiration.
XLT-Options-20090824 - Eric Ochotnicki - New Cycle Orientation.
XLT-Options-20090826 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session Volatility Analysis.
XLT-Options-20090827 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session Using the Checklist.
XLT-Options-20090828 - Eric Ochotnicki - Trading Applications Position Building.
XLT-Options-20090902 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session Stock Placement.
XLT-Options-20090903 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Double Diagonals - Preparing For the Jobs Report.
XLT-Options-20090904 - Eric Ochotnicki - Trading Application - Jobs Report.
XLT-Options-20090909 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Equivalency Calendar Spreads.
XLT-Options-20090910 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Rolling and Closing.
XLT-Options-20090911 - Eric Ochotnicki - Trading Application - Position Building.
XLT-Options-20090916 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Macro Trading.
XLT-Options-20090917 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Rolling and Closing.
XLT-Options-20090918 - Eric Ochotnicki - Trading Application - Expiration.
XLT-Options-20090921 - Eric Ochotnicki - New Cycle Orientation.
XLT-Options-20090923 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Traders Checklist.
XLT-Options-20090924 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Traders Checklist.
XLT-Options-20090925 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Position Building.
XLT-Options-20091001 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Double Diagonals and Preparing for the Jobs Report.avi
XLT-Options-20091002 - Eric Ochotnicki - Trading Application - Jobs Report.
XLT-Options-20091005 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Commodities.
XLT-Options-20091007 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Equivalency Calendar Spreads.
XLT-Options-20091008 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Rolling and Closing.
XLT-Options-20091009 - Eric Ochotnicki - Trading Application - Position Building.
XLT-Options-20091015 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Position Evolution Presented.
XLT-Options-20091016 - Eric Ochotnicki - Trading Application - Expiration.
XLT-Options-20091019 - Eric Ochotnicki - New Cycle Orientation.
XLT-Options-20091021 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Volatility Analysis.
XLT-Options-20091022 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Traders Checklist.
XLT-Options-20091023 - Eric Ochotnicki - Trading Application - Position Building.
XLT-Options-20091028 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Macro Trading.
XLT-Options-20091029 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Deal'n with Dividends.
XLT-Options-20091104 - Eric Ochotnicki -  Strategy Session - Options for Income.
XLT-Options-20091105 - Eric Ochotnicki -  Strategy Session - Double Diagonals & Preparing for the Jobs Report.
XLT-Options-20091106 - Eric Ochotnicki -  Trading Application - Jobs Report.
XLT-Options-20091109 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Commodities.
XLT-Options-20091111 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Equivalency Calendar Spreads.
XLT-Options-20091112 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Rolling and Closing.
XLT-Options-20091113 - Eric Ochotnicki - Trading Application - Position Building.
XLT-Options-20091116 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Stock Replacement.
XLT-Options-20091118 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Macro Trading.
XLT-Options-20091119 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Position Evolution.
XLT-Options-20091120 - Eric Ochotnicki - Trading Application - Expiration.
XLT-Options-20091123 - Eric Ochotnicki - New Cycle Orientation.
XLT-Options-20091125 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Volatility Analysis.
XLT-Options-20091130 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Traders Checklist.
XLT-Options-20091202 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Position Construction.
XLT-Options-20091203 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Student Position Review - Preparing for the Jobs Report.
XLT-Options-20091204 - Eric Ochotnicki - Trading Application - Jobs Report.
XLT-Options-20091207 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Options for Income - Part Time Trader.
XLT-Options-20091209 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Stock Replacement.
XLT-Options-20091210 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Rolling and Closing.
XLT-Options-20091211 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Position Building.
XLT-Options-20091216 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Macro Trading.
XLT-Options-20091217 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Vega Trading.
XLT-Options-20091218 - Eric Ochotnicki - Trading Application - Expiration.
XLT-Options-20091221 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Volatility Analysis.
XLT-Options-20091222 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Traders Checklist.
XLT-Options-20091223 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Position Building.
XLT-Options-20091228 - Eric Ochotnicki - Strategy Session - Student Position Review.​

WHO YOU WILL LEARN FROM

Our staff of professional instructors is composed of the most dedicated people you will ever meet. They will teach you trading fundamentals and advanced techniques like no one else. Each has a unique personality that will keep you on the edge of your seat, waiting for the next "golden nugget" of trading information.

RussAllen

JoseBlasco

WoodyJohnson

AjitMahuli

SteveMisic

EricOchotnicki

SamSeiden

VishalSubandh