• NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    Thats not how puts work. Thats shorting the stock directly.

    A put is an options contract. You can never lose more than your purchase.

    If you pay $5.00 for a Jan $50 strike, you pay $500 (1 contract is 100 shares). As the date comes closer it becomes worth less, but as it approaches $50 or goes below it also becomes worth more. You can make a lot of money on a far out of the money put that goes near or in the money.

    If it was $50 in November that put might be worth $40 (x100) so $4,000 and you paid $500.

    The put becomes worth nothing if its over $50 by strike date.

    Its a much safer way to bet against something than directly shorting.