What a year it was for the options market! From the "unprecedented" volatility of April to a record-breaking 15 billion contracts traded, 2025 was anything but boring. In this special year-end extravaganza, your drill instructors Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli (Market Taker Mentoring) look back at the Top 10 Episodes of 2025 to see what resonated most with traders during this historic year.
Mark and Dan dive into the data to reveal the most downloaded topics of the year, spanning everything from high-intensity hedging strategies to the surprising winner of the #1 spot. Whether you are a veteran of "Liberation Day" or a newcomer looking to get into peak options trading shape, this countdown is the ultimate refresher on the strategies that defined the market this year.
In this episode, the "Dynamic Duo" discusses:
The Top 10 Countdown: Which episodes took the crown? (Hint: Leaps and Covered Calls were heavy hitters).
Volatility Redefined: Revisiting the historic spikes of April and the role of inverse volatility products like SVXY.
Retail Power: How the 15-billion-contract milestone changed the landscape for retail traders.
Strategy Deep Dives: Reflections on Gamma Scalping, Iron Condors, and the enduring popularity of "The Poor Man's Covered Call."
The VIX Average: Dan breaks down the long-term average of the VIX and how anomalies skew the data.
Holiday Fun: The definitive (and divisive) ranking of the best Christmas movies.
Special thanks to Tastytrade—named the best broker for options in 2024 by Investopedia. See why at tastytrade.com/podcasts .
