The Options Insider Radio Network

Latest Episodes:

Wide World of Options: Demystifying AI in Options Trading May 07, 2026

Show notes

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the world of options trading but what does that actually mean? In this episode of Wide World of Options, host Mark Benzaquen welcomes Financial AI founder and CEO, Pouya Taahol, as he breaks down how investors are using machine learning, predictive analytics, and automation, and explores the questions every trader should be asking. Whether you're new to options or a seasoned investor, this is your guide to understanding one of the biggest shifts happening in financial markets today.

The Option Block 1466: The Strait vs. AI - Round 2 May 04, 2026

Show notes

The market is caught in a tug-of-war between geopolitical tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the relentless AI spending boom. In this episode, Mark Longo, Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi, and "Uncle Mike" Tosaw break down why the indices are shaking off war jitters to focus on massive server farm investments.

The panel explores the "post-ceasefire" volatility environment, the surprising resilience of Mag Seven earnings, and the massive $700 billion projected spend on AI infrastructure. Plus, a deep dive into unusual activity in names you haven't heard in years—including a legacy giant's attempt to pivot to AI.

On the Block:

The Trading Block: VIX cash flirts with an 18 handle, while Nokia and Caterpillar become unexpected AI plays.
The Odd Block: Unusual options activity in Aurora Innovation (AUR), a "Viceroy Special" in Xerox (XRX), and haptic tech plays in Immersion Corp (IMMR).
The Strategy Block: Uncle Mike breaks down Timeframe Selection—the pros and cons of daily vs. monthly covered calls and how to maximize time decay.
Mail Block: Listener questions on rising gas prices, EV interest in Tesla and Rivian, and the panel's take on the new Hulk Hogan documentary.

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The Hot Options Report: 05-01-2026 May 02, 2026

Show notes

It was a high-volume "May Day" on the options tape as massive action flooded the market to wrap up a blockbuster earnings week. Mark Longo breaks down why fading the initial move in $AAPL was the trade of the day and how $INTC finally cleared a historic milestone.

On Today's Report:

The $AAPL Rebound: Apple shakes off a shaky after-hours start to surge back past the strike zone.
$INTC Makes History: Breaking the century mark with massive volume as Intel hits new all-time highs.
$TSLA Steals the Crown: Moving millions of contracts to edge out $NVDA for the top spot.
The One-Year Low Scan: A look at the names hitting the floor, including $FUJHY and $GGLS.
Rapid Fire: Volume alerts for $MSTR, $MU, $NOK, $AMD, $MSFT, and $AMZN.

Visit TheHotOptionsReport.com to run your own scans!

Volatility Views 678: Damn The Vol Torpedoes...Full Speed Ahead! May 02, 2026

Show notes

The bulls are charging, and volatility is getting "taken to the woodshed." Join Mark Longo, Russell Rhoads (the "Volatility Closet" resident), and Mark Sebastian (the "Greasy Meatball") as they break down a massive week in the markets. From the "mother of all tech earnings weeks" to the generational spending on AI, the crew explores why the VIX remains under pressure despite global geopolitical turmoil and a hawkish-leaning Fed.

In this episode, the team dives into:

The Volatility Review: A post-mortem of the April markets, the impact of the FOMC meeting, and how mega-cap tech earnings are reshaping the volatility landscape.
VIX vs. VVIX: Russell analyzes the relationship between the VIX and the "Vol of Vol," and whether the current divergence is the ultimate fade signal.
Russell's Weekly Rundown: A look at the weird and wild trades hitting the tape, including a "penny" VIX binary and a 21-19-17 put fly.
The Crystal Ball: The guys place their bets on where the VIX cash will settle next week.
Pro Trading Crate: Announcing the April winner and the debut of Dan Passarelli's brand-new book.

This episode is brought to you by tastytrade: Ready to trade the vol? Join tastytrade today and earn a double commission rebate up to $3,000 total on your stock and ETF option trades for 30 days! Visit tastytrade.com/insider for more info. (All applicable regulatory exchange and clearing fees still apply. Options involve risks and are not suitable for all investors. Offer expires May 31st, 2026. Tastytrade, Inc. is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA, NFA, and SIPC.)

TWIFO 495: Insane Equities and a Secret Oil Substitute May 01, 2026

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Is soybean oil the new crude? As energy markets continue to dominate the headlines, Carley Garner (DeCarley Trading) joins Mark Longo to break down a wild week in the futures and options pits. From WTI crude skyrocketing toward $110 to the S&P 500 hitting "obscene" new intraday highs on the back of AI spending, the markets are anything but quiet.

In this episode, Mark and Carley discuss:

Energy Overdrive: Why WTI crude is seeing massive volume in the June $120 calls and July $70 puts.
The "Secret" Substitute: Why traders looking for lower risk and high correlation are moving from WTI to Soybean Oil.
Equities on Fumes: A look at the "insane" S&P 500 rally—is it fueled by AI infrastructure or just "fake money" in the system?
Natural Gas Strategy: Why the $3.00 level is the focal point and how to scale into long positions with minis.
Ag & Livestock: A "toppy" look at Live Cattle and why the seasonal trend favors the bears.

The Hot Options Report: 04-30-2026 Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

The options market is firing on all cylinders this Thursday as we digest a massive slate of mega-cap earnings and red-hot GDP data. From the AI-driven infrastructure plays to the latest 0DTE (Zero Days to Expiration) trends, Mark Longo breaks down the heavy hitters dominating the tape.

On Today's Show:

0DTE Spread Scan: Analyzing a massive $5-wide Iron Condor and high-volume call spreads on a day where the market closed up over 1%.
The Top 10 Countdown: We cross the 1-million contract threshold by the time we hit #9!
Single Name Spotlights:
- Nvidia ($NVDA): A rare divergence as the market rallies but the AI king slips below the $200 level.
- Intel ($INTC): Chasing the $100 mark—can it keep the momentum?
- The "Fruit Company" ($AAPL): Pre-earnings nibbling and the immediate after-hours reaction.
- Alphabet ($GOOGL) & Meta ($META): A tale of two earnings—one bounces off the $600 psychological floor while the other rides the AI cloud wave.
- MARA: The transition from Bitcoin miner to AI infrastructure play and the massive "Flex Flow" volume.
- Tesla ($TSLA) & Amazon ($AMZN): Deep dives into the high-volume, in-the-money calls expiring tomorrow.

Check out HotOptionsReport.com for the scanners mentioned in today's episode.

The Option Block 1465: Cutting a Fat Hog in the Butt with AI Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

AI spending is moving the needle on the US GDP, and the Option Block panel is here to break down the massive capital allocation driving the markets. In this episode, Mark Longo is joined by Henry "The Flowmaster" Schwartz from Cboe and Mike Tosaw from St. Charles Wealth Management to discuss whether the market is "cutting a fat hog in the butt" with these record AI expenditures or if we're witnessing a historic capital misallocation.

In this episode:

The Trading Block: A deep dive into the mega-cap earnings sweep. From Meta's spending spook to Alphabet's cloud success and Microsoft's mixed bag, the team analyzes how AI CapEx is now a primary driver of market sentiment.
The "Fat Hog" Trade: Mike Tosaw explains his covered call strategy in Qualcomm (QCOM) and why sometimes making a 6% premium in a month still feels like leaving meat on the bone.
The Odd Block: Unusual activity in Blue Owl Capital (OWL), Imperial Petroleum (IMPP), and a "palette cleanser" trade in Levi Strauss (LEVI).
Around the Block: Predictions for Apple earnings, the upcoming OIC conference, and why the "buy the dip" mentality persists in the face of macro uncertainty.

The Futures Rundown 74: Crude Reigns Supreme Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

Is the "Strait of Hormuz" the only phrase you're hearing lately? You aren't alone. In this episode of The Futures Rundown, Mark Longo and Jermal Chandler, Head of Options Strategy at tastytrade, dive deep into a market where geopolitics is keeping Crude Oil firmly on the throne.

The duo breaks down a wild week in the pits, where energy is lighting up the tape while precious metals like Silver and Platinum lose their luster. They also tackle the "AI trumps all" sentiment in equities and what the recent Fed decision means for your portfolio.

Inside this episode:

The Trading Pit: A "Top 6" countdown of the biggest movers, featuring the massive rallies in WTI, Brent, and RBOB Gasoline.
Ag Watch: Why wheat is catching a bid and the strange correlation between fertilizer routes and your bread prices.
The "Shiny Stuff" Slump: Why traders are abandoning Gold and Silver to chase the oil trade.
Most Active Contracts: Breaking down the heavy volume in the 10-Year Note and the Micro NASDAQ on Fed Day.
The Year-to-Date Leaderboard: A look at the staggering 103% gain in Heating Oil and the continued freefall of Cocoa.

Genius Loves Company. See for yourself why Investopedia named tastytrade the Best Broker for Options in 2024. Visit tastytrade.com/podcasts to learn more.

Options Boot Camp 388: Should You Stop Selling ODTE Options? Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

The rise of Zero Day to Expiration (0DTE) options has completely transformed the retail trading landscape, but has the market finally "squeezed the juice" out of premium harvesting? On this episode of Options Boot Camp, Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli dive deep into a "back-of-the-napkin" analysis of 0DTE SPX straddles.

They explore whether the massive influx of sellers has pushed premiums so low that it actually makes more sense to be a buyer. Plus, Dan discusses his latest book reaching the Amazon bestseller lists and tackles listener questions on tracking covered call rolls and the future of 0DTE equity options.

On this episode, we break down:

The 0DTE Shift: Are we giving away the "weekend decay" for free?
Statistical Deep Dive: A look at SPX straddle performance over the last 45 and 80 days.
Intraday vs. Close-to-Close: Why path dependency is the secret to 0DTE profitability.
The Complexity of Backtesting: Why traditional backtesting models fail in the current 0DTE environment.
The "Wheel Death Match": Managing covered calls and tracking roles effectively.

Go to tastytrade.com/podcasts to see why genius loves company and how you can take advantage of their industry-leading education and support team.

Hot Options Report: 04-29-2026 Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

It is the "mother of all earnings days" and the tape is absolutely on fire. On this episode of The Hot Options Report, we break down a high-velocity session where cracking the Top 10 required a massive 575,000 contracts. We dive deep into the "1K Oddball Scan" to reveal unusual institutional activity in $IWM, $MSFT, and $SILJ.

From the parabolic surge in $INTC and $AMD to the post-earnings fallout in $HOOD and $SOFI, we analyze where the "paper" is leaning. We also look at the massive volume dominating $NVDA and $TSLA as they navigate new highs and Fed Day volatility.

Want to track these scans yourself? Visit TheHotOptionsReport.com to get more options data, kick the tires, and light the fires on the latest market-moving trades.

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