How to trade
The market just made a mistake.
Here's how you get paid for it.
When our engine finds a mispricing, it means an option is priced higher than it should be. You can sell that option — collect cash up front — and keep it if the price corrects. The trade that does this is called a credit spread.
Example signal from today
The Trade
Sell $650/$652 Call Spread
Market $0.47 · Fair value $0.14 · Edge $0.33/contract
What you actually do — 3 steps
Sell the overpriced option
You sell the $650 Call at $0.47. That money hits your account right now — before the trade is even over. This is called collecting a premium.
Buy the protection
You immediately buy the $652 Call at $0.19. This caps your risk. If SPY shoots up past $652, this covers you. Think of it as an insurance policy on the trade.
Keep the difference
The net credit is $0.28 per contract ($47 – $19). If SPY stays below $650, the options lose value and you profit. This credit is yours to keep — the question is when to close.
Close your position in profit
Once you're profitable, close the spread at a level you're comfortable with — most traders target 50–70%of the max credit. You don't need to wait until 4:15 PM.
In fact, most experienced traders close early rather than holding to expiration. Why? In the final minutes, gamma risk spikes — a small SPY move can flip a winner into a loser in seconds. Locking in profit early removes that risk entirely.
What can happen at 4:15 PM
SPY closes below $650 — you win
Both options expire worthless. You keep the full credit.
SPY closes between $650–$652 — partial loss
You lose some of the credit. Exact amount depends on where it closes.
SPY closes above $652 — max loss
The spread costs you $2.00 minus the $0.28 credit = $1.72 per contract. This is the worst case.
The math: $28 to make, $172 to lose. You need SPY to stay below $650 — which happens most of the time when the call is this overpriced.
Calculate your position
How many contracts?
Each contract = 100 shares. Most brokers require $200 buying power per contract for this spread.
Max Gain
+$28
if SPY stays below $650
Max Loss
–$172
if SPY blows past $652
Breakeven
$650.28
SPY at close
Buying power needed: ~$200 for 1 contract. This is held as collateral and released when the trade closes at 4:15 PM ET.
Quick recap
- →We find an overpriced option
- →You sell it and buy protection 2 strikes away
- →You collect cash immediately — that's your max profit
- →If SPY doesn't move past your strike by 4 PM, you keep it
- →Your max loss is capped — you can't lose more than the spread width minus what you collected
Now place the trade
What trading platform do you use?
We'll show you exactly which buttons to tap.
Don't see your platform?
Use general guide →This is an example using real signal data for illustration only. Not financial advice. Options trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. Always do your own research.