The Most Popular Options Trade Turns a $1 Investment Into a $1,000 Stock Bet
- Low price tag makes 0DTE a popular tool to speculate on shares
- One fund manager calls it ‘fantasy football’ of option trading
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There’s an invisible force driving the most popular options trade of the year — one that gives Wall Street pros and day traders alike the power to turn a $1 investment into a $1,000 stock bet.
Investors are wagering on the daily gyrations of American equity benchmarks by dashing in and out of trading contracts that expire within 24 hours — known by the “0DTE” moniker — with less upfront capital than meets the eye. The hidden fuel for the frenzy: Quirks in the ecosystem of the derivatives marketplace that makes these zero-days-to-expiry options look cheap.