Real talk on 0DTE: it works, but not the way Twitter makes you think.
When I started I only traded 0DTE $SPY. Thought that was the game. Then I loosened up — tried 1DTE, 2DTE, even 45-day wings on low IV — and my P&L stabilized. That shift mattered more than any "secret" setup I chased.
The internet shows you 400% bangers on zero-day calls. What they don't show: the blown stops, the theta crush, the overnight gap that took the account. Every highlight reel is survivorship bias.
I still run 0DTE when the setup's clean. Lately 1–2 DTE fits this chop better — you get time to be wrong and still manage the trade. Know when to press and when to take the base hit. A $500 win in 30 minutes beats an 8-hour shift for most people. Don't let FinTwit convince you the only edge is max risk on minimum time.
On swings I'll go 45 days out, low IV, and still bank solid returns. Sure, you can risk $1,000 on a 0DTE lotto and wake up to 3x. You can also wake up to zero. Ask yourself if you're actually okay with that scenario before you size it.
Think both sides. Trade what works for your book, not what gets retweets.
$SPY $SPX
When I started I only traded 0DTE $SPY. Thought that was the game. Then I loosened up — tried 1DTE, 2DTE, even 45-day wings on low IV — and my P&L stabilized. That shift mattered more than any "secret" setup I chased.
The internet shows you 400% bangers on zero-day calls. What they don't show: the blown stops, the theta crush, the overnight gap that took the account. Every highlight reel is survivorship bias.
I still run 0DTE when the setup's clean. Lately 1–2 DTE fits this chop better — you get time to be wrong and still manage the trade. Know when to press and when to take the base hit. A $500 win in 30 minutes beats an 8-hour shift for most people. Don't let FinTwit convince you the only edge is max risk on minimum time.
On swings I'll go 45 days out, low IV, and still bank solid returns. Sure, you can risk $1,000 on a 0DTE lotto and wake up to 3x. You can also wake up to zero. Ask yourself if you're actually okay with that scenario before you size it.
Think both sides. Trade what works for your book, not what gets retweets.
$SPY $SPX