Really study Options before you get into it. No need to buy books or spend $$ on courses. This isn't the 90s. All material is available online for free.
When you start, only risk a small amount to see how PnL works. Oh and don't get cocky. Leverage goes both ways.
Hello all. For those that successfully trade options by buying calls (when bullish outlook) or puts (when bearish outlook), which is the most effective of these - buying ITM, deep ITM, ATM, OTM or deep OTM?
I am not after the arguments against buying calls/puts. I know the general perception is that selling options is better than buying, but then why do we still have buyers (i.e. who the sellers selling to!), obviously there must be people that buy options profitably over the long-term. Thanks
For those that successfully trade options by buying calls (when bullish outlook) or puts (when bearish outlook), which is the most effective of these - buying ITM, deep ITM, ATM, OTM or deep OTM?

Hey Danjuma,
I'm a buyer only, I just don't like the risk involved in selling options. Of course they perform better, because there is more risk.
When I first started trading options there was a story on JP morgan which involved JP placing a relative big trade on something and it went against them. There were unable to get out of the position and lost quite a lot of capital, if I hunt around I could dig it up.
I basically got spooked and always brought my options to cap the risks involved. U gotta understand that selling options have brought major corporations into liquidation. You're just "seeing the light" involed with selling. I've met people that have losts multiple investment properties selling / writing options.
Best of luck.
I would be interested in that Jpm story
I started trading around 2012 (studied the market for about 2 years before hand) and this was a major story back then. I remember them addmitting that they couldn't get out of the trade.
http://www.businessinsider.com.au/jp-morgan-loss-grows-2012-5
and wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_JPMorgan_Chase_trading_loss
Uz might laugh but I wouldn't even open a open futures position without a corresponding option to cap the risks..... Well mbey short on the indexes as I can't really see any major index moving 15% up.
I started trading around 2012 (studied the market for about 2 years before hand) and this was a major story back then. I remember them addmitting that they couldn't get out of the trade.
http://www.businessinsider.com.au/jp-morgan-loss-grows-2012-5
and wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_JPMorgan_Chase_trading_loss
Uz might laugh but I wouldn't even open a open futures position without a corresponding option to cap the risks..... Well mbey short on the indexes as I can't really see any major index moving 15% up.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_JPMorgan_Chase_trading_loss
Investigation
The internal investigation concluded in July 2012. It involved more than 1,000 people across the firm and outside law firm WilmerHale.[24] A report issued in January 2013 made the following "key observations"[25]
"CIO [Chief Investment Office] judgment, execution and escalation in the First Quarter of 2012 were poor"
"The Firm did not ensure that the controls and oversight of CIO evolved commensurately with the increased complexity and risks of certain CIO activities"
"CIO risk management was ineffective in dealing with synthetic credit portfolio"
"Risk limits for CIO were not sufficiently granular"
"Approval and implementation of CIO Synthetic Credit VaR Model were inadequate"