Options Boot Camp

Latest Episodes:

Options Boot Camp 349: Forget 0DTE...Let's Talk About L.E.A.P.S!!! Jul 30, 2025

Show notes

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

Options Boot Camp 348: Meme Stock Revival and the Princes of Options Darkness Jul 24, 2025

Show notes

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

Options Boot Camp 347: Heisenberg, Rogue AI and More Forgotten Terms Jul 16, 2025

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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

Options Boot Camp 346: Boiler Rooms and SOES Bandits Jul 09, 2025

Show notes

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

Options Boot Camp 345: Covered Call Surprises and Bad Mid-Market Fills Jul 02, 2025

Show notes

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

Options Boot Camp 344: Forgotten Options Terms Part 3 Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

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

Options Boot Camp 343: Forgotten Options Terms Part 2 Jun 18, 2025

Show notes

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

Options Boot Camp 342: Resurrecting Forgotten Options Terms Jun 12, 2025

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In this episode of Options Bootcamp, host Mark Longo and co-host Dan Passarelli (Market Taker Mentoring) dive into forgotten and lesser-known options terminologies. The duo explores terms such as horizontal and vertical spreads, legging into trades, volatility smiles, realized vs. implied volatility, and risk premium harvesting. They touch upon trading floor lingo, including the roles of 'locals,' the use of 'raise' in retail automated execution systems, and the concept of 'out trades.' As they discuss each term, they highlight their relevance and usage in today's trading landscape. Listeners are also engaged with polls, letting them voice their opinions on these old-school trading terms. 01:04 Welcome to Options Bootcamp 01:38 Education Wednesday: Volatility Death Match Recap 02:59 Introducing the Black Hatted One: Dan Passarelli 03:59 Options Drills: Forgotten Terminology 05:42 Exploring Horizontal Spreads 07:23 Legging into Trades: Risks and Strategies 11:02 Volatility Smile and Skew 13:31 Implied vs. Realized Volatility 17:16 Back Spreads and Front Spreads 20:56 Under and Over: Pricing Complex Trades 23:49 The Renaissance of the Local Trading Crowd 25:05 The Evolution of Trading Roles 25:40 The Trading Crowd and Market Makers 27:43 Out Trades and Manual Entry 29:03 The Antiquated Practices of Trading 32:28 The Concept of Paper in Trading 34:02 Cabinet Trades and Penny Pricing 37:50 The Rise of Electronic Trading 41:41 Listener Polls and Apocalypse Assets 44:44 Concluding Remarks and Upcoming Shows

Options Boot Camp 341: Options Are Cool Again Jun 04, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Options Bootcamp, Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli discuss the latest developments in the options market, including a significant increase in options trading volume and the role of retail traders. They address recent volume statistics from the Options Clearing Corporation, showcasing substantial growth in April and May. The episode delves into the upcoming potential of zero-DTE options on the 'Mag 7' stocks, with listener opinions divided on their enthusiasm. Dan shares his insights on trading strategies like calendars and verticals, and the hosts also address listener questions on inverse volatility products and fundamental analysis in trading. A special highlight includes the recognition of listener loyalty by rewarding Madam Gigi in their monthly giveaway. 01:03 Welcome to Options Bootcamp 01:53 Meet the Hosts: Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli 03:28 Listener Engagement and Pro Membership Perks 05:36 Options Market Performance Insights 16:02 Mail Call: Listener Questions and Poll Results 19:27 Exploring VIX Calls and Market Sentiments 21:26 Crypto Preferences and Apocalyptic Scenarios 23:36 Revisiting Nvidia vs. Palantir Debate 26:55 Fundamental Analysis in Options Trading 28:35 The Popularity of Options Trading 29:44 Inverse VIX Products and Calendar Trades 32:25 Listener Engagement and Community Love

Options Boot Camp 340: Assignment Cancellation and Breakfast Concerns May 28, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Options Boot Camp, Mark Longo from the Options Insider and Dan Passarelli from Market Taker Mentoring dive into key topics surrounding options trading. They discuss concerns related to Zero DTE options, VIX call trading strategies, and evaluating gamma's importance. Additionally, the episode explores the future of the binary events market, potential expansions of trading products, and the intriguing idea of trading call options on sports teams. The segment wraps with listener questions addressing unexpected moments in trading careers and practical strategies when dealing with gamma and earning seasons, providing a comprehensive outlook on the current and future state of options trading. 01:02 Welcome to Options Boot Camp 02:57 Listener Mail Call 08:48 Market Taker Question of the Week 15:33 Understanding Gamma in Options Trading 18:04 Hilarious Handle: Concerned Breakfast 19:07 Unexpected Moments in Trading 23:30 The Notion of a 'Get Out of Jail Free' Card in Options Trading 26:49 Future of Binary and Event Markets 31:24 Wrapping Up and Final Thoughts

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