Options Education

Options Education delves into the foundational aspects and mechanisms of options trading, catering to traders and investors seeking to expand their knowledge beyond basic stock trading. These posts aim to demystify the complex world of options and we aim to educate the investor to overcome common misunderstandings.

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Option Tick Sizes Explained: Why Your Order Doesn’t Show Up in the NBBO (and How to Fix It)

Learn how option tick sizes affect your order's visibility in the NBBO. Understand penny pilot vs. non-penny classes and what to do when your limit order seems invisible.

Building an Options App? OPRA Fees & Licensing Explained

Wondering how OPRA fees impact your options trading app? This guide breaks down what developers need to know.

Professional Status Explained: What Every User Needs to Know

Learn how stock and options exchanges define professional status, why it matters for compliance and fees, and how to determine your correct classification before subscribing. Avoid surprise costs by understanding market data usage rules.

Missing Options Contracts — Why You Can’t Find Them

Understanding the common reasons traders can't find certain missing options contracts. The importance of knowing how options contracts are created and traded.

Complete List of Index Option Tickers

Get the full list of index option tickers traded on U.S. exchanges, including SPX, VIX, RUT, and more. Learn how to identify root symbols and query complete option chains using Market Data tools.

Understanding Differences in Implied Volatility and Greeks Between Broker Platforms

Why do implied volatility and Greeks differ across trading platforms? Explore how varying models, inputs, and calculation methods lead to discrepancies in IV and Greek values. Understand and navigate these differences.

SPX vs SPXW Options — What’s The Difference?

Learn about the all differences in SPX vs SPXW options contracts and determine which contracts are best for you.

RUT vs RUTW Options — What’s The Difference?

Learn about the all differences in RUT vs RUTW options contracts and determine which options are best for your trading strategy.

NDX vs NDXP Options — What’s The Difference?

Learn all about the differences in NDX vs NDXP options contracts and determine which contracts are best for you.

What Are Non-standard Options?

Explore non-standard options: learn how corporate actions like splits change contracts, affect trading strategies, and impact markets.

How to Calculate Theta For An Option

Learn how to calculate theta and understand how to add time decay to your spreadsheets.

How To Read An Option Symbol — Learn By Example

The best way to understand how to read a U.S. option symbol is with an real life example. Stock Ticker + YYMMDD + C/P + 8 Digit Strike Price.