Day Trading Options for Beginners

Day trading options doesn't require learning options theory. Pat Mitchell isn't an options trader — he's a stock trader who executes through options, and the entire strategy comes down to two moves: buy calls to go long, buy puts to go short. Everything else — strike selection, sizing, timing — follows the same logic as trading the stock itself.

You're Not Really "Trading Options"

Options were originally built as a hedging tool for long-term investors — a way to insure a position against a downturn. That's not what day trading options is. When you're in and out of a trade in 15-30 minutes, concepts like theta decay and the Greeks barely have time to matter. Getting pulled into that complexity is a common trap that has little to do with actually executing a fast, technical day trade

Tied to Risk, Not Habit

Most beginners pick a strike price near the money out of habit. The better approach: choose the strike closest to your actual risk level — the price where you'd be stopped out if the trade fails. That keeps your option's price tightly correlated to the stock's real move, so a small move in your favor shows up meaningfully in the option instead of getting lost in the spread.

Why Contract Size Matters More Than Beginners Realize

One options contract represents 100 shares. That math matters more than most new traders think: if you wouldn't buy the equivalent number of shares of the stock outright, you're very likely oversized in the options version too. A quick way to check yourself — contracts × 100 × the stock's price tells you exactly how large a stock position you're really controlling. Most beginners should start small: one to five contracts while building consistency, well before scaling into larger size.

Same-Day Expiry, and Why It Works Here

Trading zero-day expiry options sounds risky to people who think about options the traditional way — but for a trade that's only open 5-30 minutes, the expiry date barely factors in. The "riskiness" people associate with 0DTE options usually comes from a strategy mismatch, not the expiry itself.

How the Exit Actually Works

The exit follows the same discipline as any other trade: pay yourself in stages as the position moves in your favor, rather than holding for a single exit point. Taking partial profit as price reaches each target keeps you from giving back gains waiting for a "perfect" exit that may never come.

With the proper education and training,
day trading options can so much easier than you think! 

The volatility that scares most traders away is what
 I use in my favor as a professional trader. 

By developing the right skills, with the application of consistent effort over time, and proper understanding of the risks inherent to trading,
my proven strategy can do the same for you. 

Watch the full video above to get right to the basics,
and learn one of the most reliable ways to day trade options*.

Your Day Trading Education Starts Here

Proven day trading options strategies & resources
 that will teach, protect and guide you.

There is SOOOO much more inside:

• Full Day Trading Boot Camp:
  With over 50 game-changing lessons. Quizzes are included for maximun educational retention. You will beecome an expert in all Trick Trades' strategies: Entry, Sizing, Risk and Management. It's up to you to apply the education as instructed, and enjoy true account growth.

• AI Video Search:
  Simply type in the search phase you wish to learn more about, and instant search results takes right to the time stamp inside each video. No more hunting and searching for the relevant information you need. 
  

• 24/7 friendly chat room:
  Available for support, and access to the Trick Trades' community of new and experienced traders. 

• Pat's daily entries charts:
  Posted for you to study and compare your own entries to.

• Morning newsletter:
  Featuring market news and insights sent right to inbox preparing you for the market open and trading day.

• Access to the game-changing Size UP! app:
  Trade plans sent each morning to your device, along with the ability to trade your account growth, step by step.
  

• Daily Pre-market plan of attack.
  No more trying to figure your trade plans on our own. Each morning before the market open, a complete trade plan is created live on screen share, complete with entries, risk, targets and the instruction needed to trade within your skill set while you learn.

• Watch Pat's charts:
  Not only are you given the best trade plans each morning at 9:00 AM EST, when the market opens at 9:30 AM, you are given access to Pat's screen where you will receive full guidance on all trade plans, but also live trading lessons in real time with the market open. 
  

• Real & authentic member interaction with Pat each morning:
  After trading, each morning, all members have the opportunity to share their trade entries, and ask any questions about the morning trading session.

All of this value and so much more is packed into a proven educational system that shows you how to trade options the right way.

Whether you are a beginning trader, or have years of experience, you will grow as a trader as long as you show up consistently, and listen to guidance. 

Frequently Asked Questions