Implied Volatility

How implied volatility drives options pricing and where the edge lives for premium sellers. IV Rank, IV Percentile, the IV/HV ratio, and how to time entries and exits around volatility.

The Danger of Chasing Volatility: Why Timing Matters More Than Strategy in Options Selling

Aug 4, 2026

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5 min read

The Danger of Chasing Volatility: Why Timing Matters More Than Strategy in Options Selling

High IV pays sellers who arrive after fear peaks and punishes those who arrive during it. The timing framework, with a fully worked two-seller case study.

Lessons from Past Panics: What Three Historical Volatility Spikes Actually Taught Options Sellers

Jul 30, 2026

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8 min read

Lessons from Past Panics: What Three Historical Volatility Spikes Actually Taught Options Sellers

Dot-com, 2008, and COVID all rewarded disciplined premium sellers. The honest lessons, including what the highlight reel omits about Buffett's trade.

Jul 5, 2026

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5 min read

The Volatility Picture

The VIX sinks 14% to 15.81 and premium thins out. Plus the Nobel Prize research that explains why volatility spikes never last.

Andrew Crowder

IV Rank, IV Percentile, and Expected Move: How to Read Volatility Before You Trade

Jun 28, 2026

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6 min read

IV Rank, IV Percentile, and Expected Move: How to Read Volatility Before You Trade

IV Rank, IV Percentile, and Expected Move tell you if options are cheap or rich and how far a stock may move. A practical, honest guide with clear examples.

How to Sell Options Without Blowing Up Your Account

Jun 11, 2026

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5 min read

How to Sell Options Without Blowing Up Your Account

Premium selling wins small and loses big. Learn the three mistakes that sink sellers, the strike and sizing rules that work, and how to manage every trade.

The Variance Risk Premium: The Research Behind Why Selling Options Works

Jun 7, 2026

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7 min read

The Variance Risk Premium: The Research Behind Why Selling Options Works

Four cited academic papers. The edge that premium sellers harvest is not folklore. It has a name in the academic literature, decades of peer-reviewed evidence, and a clear price tag in risk.

Andrew Crowder

IV Rank vs. IV Percentile: Why Every Premium Seller Needs Both (and Which One I Trust More)

Apr 18, 2026

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17 min read

IV Rank vs. IV Percentile: Why Every Premium Seller Needs Both (and Which One I Trust More)

IV Rank uses 2 data points. IV Percentile uses 252. A single spike can blind IVR for months while IVP stays accurate. Learn the formulas, the spike distortion problem, and how to use both together with real examples.

Andrew Crowder

The Implied Truth: How to Read Our Weekly Volatility Tables

Mar 15, 2026

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17 min read

The Implied Truth: How to Read Our Weekly Volatility Tables

Learn to read The Option Premium's weekly volatility tables in under 2 minutes. Covers IV Rank, IV Percentile, relative strength, ADX, and a 5-step scan to find the richest premium-selling setups.

Andrew Crowder

Best Stocks for Credit Spreads: A 7-Step Selection Framework

Mar 4, 2026

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13 min read

Best Stocks for Credit Spreads: A 7-Step Selection Framework

How to find the best stocks for credit spreads using liquidity, IV rank, IV percentile, and expected move. A step-by-step framework for consistent profits.

IVR vs IV Percentile: Which Volatility Metric Matters for Options Traders?

Feb 22, 2026

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8 min read

IVR vs IV Percentile: Which Volatility Metric Matters for Options Traders?

IV Rank and IV Percentile can give opposite signals on the same stock. Learn which volatility metric is more reliable for selling options premium, and how to use both.

The Covered Call Strategy: A Complete Guide for Income Traders

Feb 19, 2026

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15 min read

The Covered Call Strategy: A Complete Guide for Income Traders

Master the covered call strategy with this complete guide covering strike selection, IV timing, rolling techniques, and when to avoid covered calls entirely.

Andrew Crowder

Using Expected Move the Right Way: A Simple (And Essential) Tool That Quietly Improves Every Options Trade

Jan 6, 2026

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9 min read

Using Expected Move the Right Way: A Simple (And Essential) Tool That Quietly Improves Every Options Trade

Learn how expected moves help options traders choose high-probability strikes, manage risk, and structure smarter premium-selling trades using volatility.

Andrew Crowder

How to Read (and Use) IV Rank and IV Percentile Without Getting Confused

May 29, 2025

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8 min read

How to Read (and Use) IV Rank and IV Percentile Without Getting Confused

The simple truth about implied volatility metrics that most traders get backwards

Andrew Crowder

Using Breadth, Volatility, and RSI to Time Premium Selling

May 22, 2025

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9 min read

Using Breadth, Volatility, and RSI to Time Premium Selling

Learn how to combine RSI, volatility metrics, and breadth indicators to find high-probability premium-selling setups. This tactical approach improves timing and edge.

Why Chasing High Premiums in Options Trading Leads to Bigger Risks (and How Smart Traders Avoid It)

May 15, 2025

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6 min read

Why Chasing High Premiums in Options Trading Leads to Bigger Risks (and How Smart Traders Avoid It)

Chasing big premiums often leads to big losses in options trading. Learn smarter strategies to protect your capital and trade with higher probabilities.

Why Earnings Trades Beat 0DTE: A Smarter Way to Use Volatility to Your Advantage

May 4, 2025

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12 min read

Why Earnings Trades Beat 0DTE: A Smarter Way to Use Volatility to Your Advantage

Why structured earnings trades using implied volatility crush beat 0DTE options for consistent income. 5 strategies, the IV edge, and a repeatable framework.

10 Essential Principles Every Successful Options Trader Should Master

Apr 24, 2025

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7 min read

10 Essential Principles Every Successful Options Trader Should Master

A Practical Guide to the Core Concepts Every Options Trader Must Understand to Succeed in Today’s Market

The Daily Options Trader Checklist: A Proven Framework for High-Probability Trades

Apr 3, 2025

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15 min read

The Daily Options Trader Checklist: A Proven Framework for High-Probability Trades

"Professional Options Trading Checklist: Use Daily Market Data to Uncover Premium-Selling and Reversal Setups"

Liquidity: The Lifeblood of Options Trading

Mar 21, 2025

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6 min read

Liquidity: The Lifeblood of Options Trading

Liquidity in Options Trading: Why It’s the Starter Key to Consistent Profits and Smarter Trades

The Final Checklist: What to Look for Before Placing Every Options Trade

Mar 11, 2025

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7 min read

The Final Checklist: What to Look for Before Placing Every Options Trade

Creating a Systematic Approach to Execution