Why in-the-money options work right now…

May 01, 2026 

Good evening,  

I want to explain why in-the-money options tend to work especially well in certain market environments and why right now is one of them: 

1.    High uncertainty = cleaner directional moves

  • With macro events (like Federal Reserve decisions or big tech earnings) driving markets, you’re often getting strong, decisive moves instead of slow chop.
  • In-the-money options have higher delta (closer to 1.0), so they behave more like the stock.
  • That means when a move actually happens, you capture more of it. 

2.    Volatility is elevated (but inconsistent)

  • We’re in a market where implied volatility spikes around events but drops fast after.
  • Out-of-the-money options get crushed by IV decay after events.
  • In-the-money options have more intrinsic value, so they’re less dependent on volatility staying high. 

👉 You’re not as exposed to getting wrecked by volatility collapsing. 

3.    Theta (time decay) is less punishing

  • Right now, a lot of traders are getting chopped up by time decay.
  • In-the-money options decay slower than out-of-the-money options because more of their price is intrinsic value.
  • In a market where moves can take a few days to play out, that matters a lot. 

4.    Better risk-adjusted positioning

  • Even though in-the-money options cost more upfront: They require a smaller move to profit
  • They have a higher probability of finishing profitably. 

In a market that’s not perfectly trending (which is pretty much always), that higher probability matters more than cheap lottery tickets. 

Get Your Hands on Our Next Round of In-the-Money Options Trades 

As an In-the-Money Countdown member, you receive 6 trades delivered via email at 7:00 p.m. ETon the Sunday following the first Friday of the month. 

That timing is intentional. You get the full set of trades in advance, with time to review each setup on your own schedule before the week begins. 

When Monday arrives, you place the trades before the closing bell using the step-by-step instructions provided. From there, you simply manage the positions according to the exit guidance already laid out in your Sunday email. 

Every setup follows the same objective: targeting 100% or greater gains in five days or less, within a clearly defined expiration-week window.

Here’s what that looks like when the strategy is put to work. 

📈 Gap, Inc.


• Strategy: Straight Buy
• Entry Price: $0.64
• Exit Price: $1.61
• Result: +151.6% in 3 days 

IN real dollars, one contract required $640 to enter. Three days later, that position was closed for $1,610, producing a $970 gain from a single, clearly defined trade. 

You don’t need a high volume of trades for the strategy to matter. One well-timed 100%+ winner can go a long way toward offsetting discounted access, with additional gains building from there. 

That’s the strength of this approach: defined entries, disciplined exits, and meaningful upside, all within a single trading week. 

Stop waiting – get on the inside right now! 

Imagine locking in two full years of trade alerts for just $95… when the standard one-year rate is sitting way above at $1,747.

That single decision to lock it in gives you 144 fast-moving setups like the Gap trade you just saw. 

If the market begins to rally, we’ll be there. If it hits the ground, we’ll be there. We’ve got you covered.

BONUS INCLUDED: Earlier today, my team released our newest special report: Our Summer 2026 Stock Picks. 

This report is fully backed by historical data and will provide a full breakdown of what we’re buying in May and holding through October. 

Yours for FREE as a thank you for becoming an In-the-Money Countdown member. 

Sunday’s trades are being scheduled to deliver. Ensure your email is on that list…

See the In-the-Money Setups

Sincerely,

Bernie Schaeffer

Founder & CEO 

Schaeffer’s Investment Research
📧service@sir-inc.com
📞 1-800-448-2080
🌍 1-513-589-3800 International

Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here

© 2026 Schaeffer’s Investment Research 

5151 Pfeiffer Road, Suite 450
Cincinnati, Ohio 45242, United StatesTerms of Service 

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Published by RJ Hamster

I was born on 6 August 1956 in San Francisco, California to Janet and (the late) Richard Hovis. I grew up in Santa Monica, California where I attended elementary, junior high school, and high school (graduating in 1974), in addition to involvement in sports and recreation (Little League +, the Boy’s Club ++). Further, it was in elementary school – St. Augustine’s By-the -Sea Parish School that I found, and made the choice to truly journey with God. I attended Arizona State University from 1974 to 1977 – seeking to become an architect, however, I was not accepted, and, as such, I graduated with a Liberal Arts degree. Upon graduation from Arizona State University, I attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and studied City and Regional Planning at the Master’s level. I successfully completed one (1) year in a two (2) year program – I did not complete the Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning – due to personal reasons. I returned to Santa Monica where I started (October 1979) my career as graphic designer with Exxon Company, USA. I spent five years with Exxon Company, USA. While working with Exxon Company, USA I was accepted into architectural school – Sci-Arc in Southern California, however, I did not attend preferring to stay with Exxon.. In 1982 I married Laura Flosi and in April 1983 we had our one and only child – Lauren Alain Hovis – a gift from God. We moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1984 from Los Angeles, where I went to work as a graphic designer with Kitchell CEM (from 1985 -1987). From 1987 – 1995 I was an independent contractor, and a registered representative in mortgage finance, financial management, graphic design, and drafting. Further, I attended the University of Phoenix and successfully obtained a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in 1982. I was also a member of the Scottsdale Jaycees, where I became very involved in community events and projects. In 1994, I accepted a cartography position with the Defense Mapping Agency in Reston, Virginia. As such, I relocated from Phoenix to Reston. In 1998, I was accepted and worked as a Visual Information Officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. In 2002, I worked as a Support Officer until my retirement (due to a need for shoulder surgery) in September 2018. Away from my Federal Government service, I have been involved in various organizations and activities in Northern Virginia. In November of 2011, I married Rebecca Ouellette in Santa Monica, California. I reside in San Tan Valley, AZ with my two hamster - Jess and Timothy, our fish, our lizard - RJ Lizard., and our cats - Pearl and Grey. As to hobbies, I enjoy playing sports, attending sporting events, mentoring individuals from financial management to hamsters, building models, photography, travel, multimedia design, managing partner for RJ Hamster, and jazz – smooth jazz to a samba or a bossa nova. Love and God Bless, Peter – aka RJ Hamster Jo hi

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