Paper trading options

This is a discussion on Paper trading options within the Options forums, part of the Financial Markets category; Besides the psychological effects, what are the major differences between paper trading options and trading them for real?...

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Paper trading options

Besides the psychological effects, what are the major differences between paper trading options and trading them for real?
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Re: Paper trading options

erm the lack of cash involved?
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Re: Paper trading options

A major difference could be in your entry/exit points. What are you using for prices when you make your paper trades? If it's the traded prices you see, then you could be way off on your own execution because options are often thinly traded so that the actual current market bid/ask might have very little in common with the last traded price.
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Re: Paper trading options

alen started this thread
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Originally Posted by Rhody Trader
A major difference could be in your entry/exit points. What are you using for prices when you make your paper trades? If it's the traded prices you see, then you could be way off on your own execution because options are often thinly traded so that the actual current market bid/ask might have very little in common with the last traded price.
actually, i use scottrader to see the prices, so its not delayed or anything.
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Re: Paper trading options

Quote:
Originally Posted by alen
actually, i use scottrader to see the prices, so its not delayed or anything.
I wasn't referring to delays. Are you seeing the actual bid/offer quotes? (I do through Schwab)
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Re: Paper trading options

alen started this thread i see the bid and the ask, but the i have scotttrader, not scottrader elite, so its not level 2.
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Re: Paper trading options

As you have taken the psychological elements and put them aside for this discussion, then aside from maybe a little bit of slippage here or there, live trading won't be all that different than paper if you've been consciencious in your paper trades (accurate price point, accounting for commissions,etc.).

Don't discount psychology, though. Traders really do change when they go live.
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Re: Paper trading options

alen started this thread good, cause i have been paper trading for 2 months now. i started to keep records of my trades 2 weeks ago. at the end of the first week, i was down $70 (started out with $930). but im on day 11, and in the past three days, i made $400 profit. PS: i took off $10 for every transaction, as commission.
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