Table of Contents

Acknowledgements v
Introduction 1

Part I: Selling Options: Why and How it Works 7
1. The Option Seller's Secret: Excelling in the World's Most Underrated (and Undiscovered) Investment Strategy 9
2. The "Who" of Selling Options: Insights From 30 Yearsin the Options Market 19
3. Why Aren't You Selling Options? The Key Advantagesof Option Selling 25
4. Buying Options Versus Selling Options: Who Wins? 43
5. O ption Selling on Steroids: An Introductionto Futures Options 61
6. SPAN Margin: Your Key to High Returns 79

Part II: Option Selling Strategy and Risk Control 897. How to Pick the Right Option to Sell: Lessons Learnedfrom Three Decades in the Field 91
8. The Use and Abuse of Spreads: How to Keep Themfrom Taking Your Money 119
9. Recommended Spreads: The Few and the Proud:Spread Strategies That Really Work for the Individual Investor 141
10. The Best Option-Selling Strategy Ever:The Ratio Credit Spread 159
11. Option-Selling Mechanics: Quick Tips on Liquidity, Timing,Order Placement, Assignment, Limit Moves, and More 169
12. Managing Your Option-Selling Risk: Defense WinsChampionships 181

Part III: Market Analysis and Option Selling 203
13. Fundamentals: The Dirty Little Secret About how MoneyReally Gets Made in Commodities 205
14. Key Fundamentals of Select Markets:What to Watch, Where to Find Them 223
15. Seasonal Tendencies in Option Selling:A Most Potent Profit Formula 243
16. The Best Markets for Seasonal Option Sales: A Primerfor Seasonal Neophytes 261
17. Volatility Simplified: All You Need to Know About the Most isunderstood Option Component 287
18. How to Structure Your Option-Selling Portfolio: Tipson Building Your Premium Ladder 297

Part IV: Getting Started 307
19. How to Avoid the Mistakes New Option Sellers Make: Learn Them Here and Save Yourself Time, Money, and Headaches 309
20. Finding a Good Broker or Money Manager: The Best Trading Decision You'll Ever Make is Choosing the Right Professional 319
21. Option Selling as an Investment: Frequently Asked Questions 331
22. Pulling It All Together: A Quick Review of What YouHave Learned 343

References and Resources 351
Index 355
About the Authors 362

About the Author

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide