Online Finance Academy – Options Trading 101

Options Trading 101 is an extensive self-study course of over 190 pages that gives you everything you will need to start investing in options with success. It is possible that you have heard of investors who have made returns of over 1000% per year trading options. This is certainly possible, and not just a case of extreme luck. If you manage to master options, you can outperform any other investment vehicle in both bull and bear markets.

This course caters to all levels of traders: from novice, to experienced investors looking for new ideas. You will learn exactly how and when to implement a variety of tried and true options strategies as you follow easy to understand, contextualized examples which professional traders routinely use with great success. You will learn how to quickly value options using a method that is superior to and simpler than the traditional Black Scholes model. You will learn how to use volatility and probability to your advantage like a casino. You will learn how to use VIX to evaluate general market conditions. You will also learn more traditional strategies such as using call and put spreads and how to profit from your knowledge of delta and the other ‘greeks’.

​Part 1. Introduction

• We de-mystify options and give you common sense examples of how options work.

Part 2. Options Rudiments

• This is the alphabet of options knowledge: puts, calls, in the money, out of the money, etc. But we put things into context for you with simple to understand examples so that you will never forget. We also give you rules which support each example. These rules are the foundation of a successful trading practice.

Part 3. Volatility and Time Decay

• These are the keys to understanding how to profit from using options. You will also learn a better method for valuing options; one that is intuitive and better able to predict rapid moves in the market before they happen.

Part 4. Concepts in Hedging and Leverage

• Learn key trade set-ups by writing calls and puts and spreads.

Part 5. Volatility and Liquidity

• Learn how to use the ‘greeks’: delta, theta, gamma, vega

Part 6. Option Strategies and Risk Management

• Learn key trade set-ups and when and how they should be used: call and put spreads, butterflies, strangles, straddles, synthetics, etc.

Part 7. Contango and Backwardation

• Learn about volatility ETFs, and the inherent risks and opportunities
• Learn how to use time decay to your advantage

Part 8. VIX, Volatility 

• Learn how to use time decay to your advantage

Part 7. Implementing Trade Strategies 

• Review of trading strategies: calendar spreads, selling uncovered calls, etc.