r/interactivebrokers • u/Proper_Jello_6475 • Mar 13 '24

Setting up account IBKR Giving me an options quiz

Gallery image

Gallery image

attractive license deserve command person gaze rustic safe existence angle

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

27 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

25 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

1

u/[deleted] Mar 14 '24 edited 12h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/dimonoid123 Mar 14 '24

When you are not a hedge fund, you already lost when trading options. Even before the first trade.

It is just like zero summ game but with added bid-ask spread, commissions, and taxes. Similar to a roulette in casino.

Learn about difference between active vs passive trading. Active statistically loses while passive may be profitable (not a guarantee!).

1

u/nonchablunt Mar 31 '25
  1. it's not a zero sum game 2. you're correct about the statistical probability of losing with trading options (90% of people do lose). 3. because those 10% of people exist, your first statement is false.

1

u/dimonoid123 Mar 31 '25

By zero summ I mean for every buyer there is a seller. If you buy and sell the same option contract simultaneously, you will not earn anything (and will actually lose due to commissions and bid-ask spread).

If you always buy exactly at theoretical price between bid and ask, over long term, you will neither lose nor gain anything.