January 14, 2020

All of This Talk of Implied Volatility, What Is It Really?

Implied volatility is a parameter that is part of an option pricing model, typically some derivation of the Black-Scholes model, which gives the theoretical price of an option. Implied volatility shows how the marketplace views where volatility should be in the future. Since implied volatility is forward-looking, it helps us gauge the sentiment or expectation about the volatility of a stock or the market. However,  and this is very important, implied volatility does not forecast the direction in which an option is headed.  It gauges magnitude, not direction.

If you would like to watch a video of this, Khan Academy is always a fantastic resource.  Click the video below.

Grab a free day pass to one of our live signal trading rooms today>>http://bit.ly/nl-freepass

Follow me on Twitter @MikeShorrCbot

Disclaimer: This video does not imply any endorsement of Prosper Academy by Khan Academy and the information contained herein is not intended to be a source of advice and the information and/or documents contained in this website do not constitute investment advice.

about the author:

Mike Shorr

Since 1994, Michael has been an on-the-floor market maker, Vice-President of Interest Rate Derivatives for Knight Financial Products and Director of Education and Options Instructor at Trading Advantage. He makes the oftentimes complex world of options and trading accessible to the novice and advanced trader alike. Michael has a Bachelor of Science degree in Statistics and Finance from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. He presently is Director, Trader Education at ProsperTradingAcademy.

Read Similar Articles

February 15, 2026

Why Option Premiums Rise Before Binary Events

Ever wonder why option premiums rise before binary events in the stock market? It’s not uncommon for option prices to spike ahead of major announcements like: For context, I like to describe option premium as the difference between the contract’s price and intrinsic value. It’s essentially what buyers pay for the “hope” that an option […]

Read Article
February 6, 2026

The Delta Greek: How To Measure Option Premium

When the markets move, the Delta Greek can be one of the most valuable metrics to options traders. There’s a particular correlation between the Delta Greek and options premium that can help traders find out how much the price of an option is expected to change. From my personal experience, I believe this pattern can […]

Read Article
January 21, 2026

Could Penny Stocks Be The Big Play In 2026?

Written By: Howard Greenberg As everyday traders put their trading plans into action for 2026, penny stocks might not be on many of their radars. It’s totally understandable why penny stocks may not appeal to the more calculated seasoned traders. Their reputations for susceptibility to manipulation, extreme volatility, and low liquidity make them way too […]

Read Article

Read Similar Articles

https://www.prospertrading.com/implied-volatility-option-premium-how-scotts-trade-examples-went-3-for-3/Implied Volatility & Option Premium: How Scott’s Trade Examples Went 3-For-3
March 11, 2026

Implied Volatility & Option Premium: How Scott’s Trade Examples Went 3-For-3

When asked about kicking off market action for this week, Scott Bauer gave a very blunt answer: “Volatility, and we don’t know what’s next.” That first question kicked off Scott’s most recent appearance on the Schwab Network’s “Big 3” segment earlier this week. Scott touched on the unpredictable landscape traders are currently facing, and highlighted […]

Read Article
March 8, 2026

The Week Ahead: When Bad Is Bad

When Bad is Bad Wall Street’s three main indexes closed down ​on Friday amid a sudden setback in the U.S. labor market and a 12% spike in U.S. oil ‌prices due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Oil prices rose more than 36% this week. Sometimes “bad” economic data can be “good” for […]

Read Article
https://www.prospertrading.com/howard-shares-his-golden-rule-for-crypto-wallets/Howard Shares His “Golden Rule” For Crypto Wallets
March 7, 2026

Howard Shares His “Golden Rule” For Crypto Wallets

In 2025, over $3.4 billion was reportedly stolen from crypto wallets—a record high. Storage security for cryptocurrency is a growing concern among traders of digital currencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other altcoins. While many developers of crypto wallets are constantly working to stay ahead of the sophisticated capabilities hackers possess, many industry experts fear the […]

Read Article