Course review
POTM Review: Professional Options Trading Masterclass
POTM is where the ITPM process meets options. It is the course that taught me how to structure trade ideas, and which strategies to ignore.
By Michael, ITPM graduate (IPLT, PTM 2.0, POTM)Original review. I recorded the video review below in 2023, and this review is of the original POTM, the version I completed. ITPM has since released POTM 2.0, which I have not done. Updated October 2026.
The Professional Options Trading Masterclass (POTM) is the third course in the ITPM sequence. I completed it straight after IPLT and PTM, before my mentoring program. It is the course I lean on every time I put a trade on, because almost everything I trade is expressed through options.
This is my honest review of the original POTM, the version I completed. My video review was recorded in 2023, and how I review ITPM courses explains my approach. What it covers, why it matters, who it suits, and how it shows up in my own trading.
My ITPM review of the Professional Options Trading Masterclass
The short answer
POTM (Professional Options Trading Masterclass) is ITPM’s options course, and the third course in the sequence. It teaches how to structure long/short trade ideas with equity options, which options strategies are worth using and which to ignore, and how to hedge at the portfolio level. I completed the original version (28 videos, 34 hours) in around 8 weeks and rate it 5/5. ITPM has since released POTM 2.0 (37 videos, 49 hours), which I have not done. It is not a starting point: take IPLT and PTM 2.0 first.
| Full name | Professional Options Trading Masterclass |
|---|---|
| Provider | Institute of Trading and Portfolio Management (ITPM) |
| Position in the course order | 3 of 4 (after IPLT and PTM 2.0, before PFTM) |
| Version I completed | Original POTM: 28 videos, 34 hours |
| Current version | POTM 2.0: 37 videos, 49 hours (not completed by me) |
| Includes | Spreadsheet templates, exam and certificate |
| Main topics | Equity options trading, structuring trades to maximise return on investment, useful and not useful options structures, directional strategies, portfolio hedging |
| How long it took me | Around 8 weeks |
| Best for | Traders who have completed PTM 2.0 and want to express their ideas with options |
| Not for | Beginners. Start with IPLT and PTM 2.0 |
| Completed by me | Yes, the original version |
| My rating | 5/5 |
POTM 2.0 at a glance
- 37 videos with a total of 49 hours of footage.
- Essential spreadsheet templates.
- Exam and certificate.
- Price. $3,499 USD, or $1,749.50 USD with my 50 percent code potmcutts50pct.
ITPM discount · POTM 2.0
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$1,749.50 USD $3,499 USD with my code potmcutts50pct
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When I went through POTM, the version I completed was 28 videos and 34 hours. ITPM has since released POTM 2.0, which is the version on sale now.
I have not been through POTM 2.0. My review and rating are of the original course. The POTM 2.0 figures above are ITPM’s.
What POTM teaches
- Everything about equity options trading.
- Structuring trades to maximise return on investment.
- Useful and not useful options structures.
- Directional options strategies.
- Portfolio hedging strategies.
Underneath that, the course covers option pricing, volatility analysis, risk management, delta hedging and option spread strategies. Anton Kreil and Edward Shek take the class through options structures in a way that keeps the jargon relatable.
Why do POTM
POTM is the ideal complement to both IPLT and PTM 2.0.
After you have a solid grasp of volatility from IPLT, and you understand the realities of generating trade ideas from PTM, the next step is structuring those trade ideas using equity options. That is what POTM is for.
Understanding how to structure options within a long/short portfolio is vital. This course shows you which strategies are important and which ones are not, so you can stop going down rabbit holes.
That is the real value. There is a lot of general options education on the internet. Covered calls. Protective puts. Straddles. Strangles. Spreads. POTM filters strategies by how useful they actually are for a retail trader in different scenarios. Bullish bias. Bearish bias. A volatility opportunity. It teaches the systematic approach Anton is known for, applied to options.
What I liked most
It is built around the long/short book
POTM teaches options as the expression of a view inside a long/short portfolio. That is exactly how I use them.
Anton’s model portfolio swaps stock positions for options. Long calls in place of the longs. Long puts in place of the shorts. Instead of putting the full cash amount into the stock, you put the same or less into the contract. You get defined premium risk on each entry, which suits a framework with many open positions.
It cuts out the noise
This is by far one of the best educational resources available for retail traders wanting a comprehensive understanding of options and options strategies. The systematic way Anton presents it simplifies a subject that is usually buried in jargon.
It connects to everything else
POTM is not a separate topic bolted on. It uses the volatility work from IPLT and the trade idea process from PTM. The three courses together give you one consistent framework of thought.
How POTM shows up in my trading
In 2025 almost everything in my book was expressed through options on NYSE listed equities. Long calls for upside views. Long puts for downside views. Sometimes spreads.
Over the 12 months to 31 October 2025, my account returned +145.64% (Interactive Brokers time-weighted). Across 212 closed options positions I won 38.2 percent of the time, and my average winning position was 2.37 times the size of my average losing position. The full broker-reported breakdown is on my trading results page.
Past performance is not indicative of future results. These are my own historical results in my own account. They are not a forecast of returns for anyone else. I lost money on more than half my trades.
But here is the honest part. Knowing the structures is not the same as using them well.
When I reviewed every trade I had taken before 2025, the problems were in the structure. Delta targeting was sloppy. Expiries did not match the catalyst I was trading. Position sizing was inconsistent from one entry to the next. The course had taught me what to do. I just was not doing it every time.
The first trade where it really clicked was a 2023 regional bank trade. Defined risk, an expiry matched to a known earnings date, sized to fit inside the book, and an exit plan written before the entry. I wrote it up in What a 2023 Options Trade Taught Me About Process and Structure.
Do not just buy time. Buy timing. That is the POTM lesson in one line.
What to be aware of
Options are not forgiving
You have to actually understand delta, gamma, theta and vega, or you will get carved up by your own positions. Every position can lose its full premium. In a choppy market, positions can bleed even when the idea is not wrong. Time decay does not care about your thesis. I wrote about that in The Chop Zone.
It is not a starting point
POTM builds on the foundations from IPLT and PTM. Picking the wrong instrument or the wrong structure can turn a correct call into a losing trade, and the trade idea process comes first. Take the courses in order. My guide to which ITPM course to take explains why.
Execution still matters
Even with the right structure, careless execution costs money. Edward Shek calls it a silent tax on performance. Spread pricing, net spend and timing all add up. Read Avoiding the Silent Tax.
Who POTM suits
- Traders who have completed PTM 2.0 and want to express their ideas with defined risk.
- Traders already using options who want to know which structures actually earn their place.
- Anyone running a long/short book who wants to understand hedging at the portfolio level.
How long POTM takes
Based on my own completion, POTM took around 8 weeks. That will depend on the time you have available. I believe it can be done in a lot less.
My verdict
POTM gets five stars from me.
It took the framework I learned in PTM and gave me the tools to express it properly. It showed me which options strategies matter for a retail trader and which ones to ignore. Almost every trade I put on today is expressed through what it taught.
The caveat is the same one I give for every ITPM course. The course gives you the knowledge. Applying it consistently is your job. For what that looks like in practice, read what trading looks like for me today.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is POTM?
POTM is the Professional Options Trading Masterclass from ITPM. It teaches equity options trading, how to structure trade ideas with options, which strategies are useful and which are not, directional strategies and portfolio hedging. The current version, POTM 2.0, is 37 videos and 49 hours.
Should I take POTM before PTM 2.0?
No. ITPM recommends IPLT, then PTM, then POTM. POTM is about structuring trade ideas with options, so it works best once you have the trade idea process from PTM.
How much does POTM 2.0 cost?
POTM 2.0 is $3,499 USD. With my code potmcutts50pct it is $1,749.50 USD. I earn a commission if you purchase through my link.
Do you use options for every trade?
In 2025, almost everything I traded was expressed through options on NYSE listed equities. Long calls, long puts and sometimes spreads. Options give defined premium risk per entry, which suits a long/short book with many open positions.
How long does POTM take?
The original POTM took me around 8 weeks, alongside a full time job. It depends on the time you have available, and I believe it can be done in less.
Have you completed POTM 2.0?
No. I completed the original POTM, which was 28 videos and 34 hours. My review and rating are of that version. POTM 2.0 is 37 videos and 49 hours.
Is POTM good for beginners?
Not as a first course. A beginner should start with IPLT and PTM 2.0. POTM builds on both.
I am a retail trader based in Australia. I do not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence. Nothing on this page or website is personal or general financial advice. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Options trading carries substantial risk, including the risk of losing the entire premium paid on every position. Read the full disclaimer.
