The Real Reason Options Don't Work for Most Traders

Most option trades fail long before the market ever moves. In this Christmas episode of Hedge Heads, Jon Prischmann and Ryan Tungseth break down the real decision-making process behind option selection—why timeframes matter, when short-term options make sense, and why the cheapest premium is often the most expensive mistake. They walk through how market structure, seasonality, and volatility should drive your choices, not gut feel or sticker price. The conversation also touches on crude oil's unusual setup, where spreads are sending a very different signal than futures prices, and wraps with a candid look at cattle risk heading into the new year. If you've struggled to make options work, this episode focuses on the "why" that usually gets overlooked.

122325-HedgeHeadsPod