As we head into the final trading days of this week, I’m focusing closely on my short options positions set to expire on May 23, 2025 . Since I sold all of these contracts, my goal is for them to expire out-of-the-money (OTM) so I can keep the full premium collected — or, at the very least, buy them back at a lower price for a net profit.

Let’s walk through each position:

💼 1. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) - Call Option

Date Opened: May 16, 2025
Strike Price: $295
Expiration Date: May 23, 2025
Contracts: 1
Entry Credit: $11.75
Status: Open

I sold this UNH call just a few days ago with a relatively high strike price. UnitedHealth is a large-cap, blue-chip stock with historically low volatility, which makes it a solid candidate for premium selling strategies like this one. As long as UNH stays below $295 by Friday, this call should expire worthless — and I’ll keep the entire $11.75 credit per share.

Fingers crossed!

💉 2. Defiance Daily Target 2X Long MSTR ETF (MSTX)

- Put Option

Date Opened: May 15, 2025
Strike Price: $40
Expiration Date: May 23, 2025
Contracts: 1
Entry Credit: $2.00
Status: Open

This is a put I sold earlier in the week, betting that MSTX won’t drop below $40 before expiration. While stocks can be unpredictable, the time frame here is short, and the strike is well below the current market price — giving me a decent cushion.

If the stock remains above $40, I’ll collect the $2.00 premium. But if it starts trending downward, I may consider closing early to limit risk.

🧬 3. Direxion Daily TSLA Bull 2X Shares (TSLL)

- Put Option (3 Contracts)

Date Opened: May 15, 2025
Strike Price: $13
Expiration Date: May 23, 2025
Contracts: 3
Entry Credit: $0.43 per contract
Status: Open

I sold three OTM puts on TSLL, collecting just under $0.43 per contract. With such a small credit, this was a low-reward, calculated-risk trade. The idea is simple: if TSLL stays above $13 by Friday, all three contracts will expire worthless, and I’ll pocket the premium.

However, since TSLL is a volatile name, I’m keeping a close eye on any unexpected news or price swings that could threaten this position.

🚀 4.

Direxion Daily TSLA Bull 2X Shares (TSLL) - Call Option (3 Contracts)

Date Opened: May 9, 2025
Strike Price: $10
Expiration Date: May 23, 2025
Contracts: 3
Entry Credit: $2.32 per contract
Status: Open

This was a more aggressive premium-selling play. I sold three call contracts two weeks ago, anticipating that TSLL wouldn’t rise above $10 before expiration.

If TSLL stays under $10, I’ll keep the $2.32 per contract. If it spikes above, I might have to buy the calls back at a loss — or get assigned shares at $10 (which I’d only do if I were comfortable owning the stock at that price).

Final Thoughts

With all four positions expiring this week, my focus is on risk management and timely exits where necessary. Selling options can be a powerful income-generating strategy, but it comes with directional risk — especially when dealing with more volatile names like TSLL.

Here’s what I’ll be monitoring over the next few days:

Stock movement , particularly in TSLL
Implied volatility
News flow around these companies
Time decay acceleration as expiration nears

I’ll follow up after expiration to show how each trade performed and what adjustments I made (if any). Stay tuned for the results!

Options trading isn’t just about buying and selling contracts—it's about timing, strategy, and understanding market momentum. In my latest trades, I navigated a mix of puts and calls across UNH and RDDT, leading to some solid profits and key insights into my trading approach.

Trade 1: Selling a Put on UNH

Symbol: UNH
Option Type: Put (Sold)
Strike Price: 255
Expiration: 5/16/2025
Contracts: 1
Entry Price: $684
Exit Price: $3
Profit: $681

Analysis

Selling a UNH 255 put turned out to be a great move. As the stock price remained above the strike, the contract lost value fast, letting me pocket a solid $681 profit. This trade reinforces the power of selling cash-secured puts when volatility presents a premium opportunity.

Trade 2: Buying a Call on UNH

Symbol: UNH
Option Type: Call (Bought)
Strike Price: 295
Expiration: 5/23/2025
Contracts: 1
Entry Price: $1175
Exit Price: TBD
Profit: Open Position

Outlook

This call is still active, meaning there's a window to adjust based on market action. If UNH trends bullish, this contract has potential to gain value rapidly, offering an opportunity to secure profits or roll the position. Keeping an eye on support levels will be crucial before expiration.

Trade 3: Buying a Call on RDDT

Symbol: RDDT
Option Type: Call (Bought)
Strike Price: 230
Expiration: 11/21/2025
Contracts: 1
Entry Price: $510
Exit Price: $350
Profit: $160

Lessons Learned

This RDDT call was a profitable trade, but the exit price was lower than ideal. Managing greeks, particularly theta decay, could improve future outcomes—adjusting entry points or using spreads might be beneficial. Still, a $160 profit means capital was effectively deployed.

Final Takeaways

These three trades showcase the balance between selling premium and buying directional calls—each strategy has its strengths depending on volatility and market trends.

Selling puts in the right conditions can yield quick wins with minimal capital risk.
Buying calls requires careful monitoring of price movements and time decay.
Exit timing plays a massive role in securing maximum profitability.

Looking ahead, refining entry points and adjusting exit strategies will be key to maximizing future gains. How do you optimize your trades? Let’s keep refining the strategy together.

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Desidividend

Monday, May 19, 2025

Monitoring My Short Options Positions Expiring This Week (May 23, 2025)