Loading...
Loading...
The fixed price at which an option holder can buy (call) or sell (put) the underlying asset if they exercise the contract. Set when the option is listed and unchanged for the life of the contract.
⚡ KEY TAKEAWAY: Strike selection locks in most of your edge or loss. It drives probability of profit, premium collected, cushion size, and assignment risk.

Strike selection is the single highest-impact decision in any options trade. It determines your probability of profit, premium collected, maximum risk, and assignment exposure. Getting direction right but picking the wrong strike still produces a losing trade.
Exchanges list strikes in standardized increments ($1, $2.50, $5, or $10 depending on the stock's price and liquidity tier). Each strike has its own delta, gamma, theta, vega, and implied volatility. Moving one strike closer to ATM roughly doubles your premium but halves your probability of expiring OTM.
AAPL at $200. Selling the $190 put (0.20 delta) collects $3.50 with 80% POP. The $195 put (0.30 delta) collects $5.80 with 70% POP. For $2.30 more premium, you accept 10% lower win rate and $5 less cushion. The strike choice frames the entire risk/reward.
Choosing strikes based on premium alone. A $6 premium on a $195 put looks better than $3.50 on a $190 put — until you account for the higher assignment probability and reduced cushion. Always check delta and probability before looking at premium.
The fixed price at which an option holder can buy (call) or sell (put) the underlying asset if they exercise the contract. Set when the option is listed and unchanged for the life of the contract.
Strike selection locks in most of your edge or loss. It drives probability of profit, premium collected, cushion size, and assignment risk.
Exchanges list strikes in standardized increments ($1, $2.50, $5, or $10 depending on the stock's price and liquidity tier). Each strike has its own delta, gamma, theta, vega, and implied volatility. Moving one strike closer to ATM roughly doubles your premium but halves your probability of expiring OTM.
Choosing strikes based on premium alone. A $6 premium on a $195 put looks better than $3.50 on a $190 put — until you account for the higher assignment probability and reduced cushion. Always check delta and probability before looking at premium.