Options Whale Activity
Track unusual options activity and large premium trades across S&P 500 stocks. Monitor whale trades, sweep orders, and institutional positioning to understand where the smart money is flowing. This dashboard reflects a rolling lookback of the last 5 trading days.
Open Source & Transparent
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Minimum Trade
$100K+
Universe
S&P 500
Includes
Sweep Detection
Lookback
Last 5 Trading Days
Understanding unusual options activity
Options flow can reveal where large premium is being deployed—but it’s only one input. Use this section to interpret tiers, sweeps, and sentiment responsibly.
General overview: what this dashboard is measuring
This page highlights large premium options prints across S&P 500 names and summarizes the flow by ticker, sector, and expiration bucket. Big prints can be directional, hedges, or part of multi-leg structures.
The most useful approach is to treat options flow as context and timing: it can point you to names with heightened activity or urgency, then you validate the “why” with catalysts, fundamentals, and price action.
The dataset uses a rolling lookback window to avoid overreacting to a single trade. Focus on persistent patterns rather than isolated prints.
Detailed breakdown: how to read the key concepts
These cards explain the most important terms so you can interpret the dashboard quickly and consistently.
Flow interpretation (simple mental model)
Conviction signal ↑ when Size tier is high AND sweeps show urgency AND DTE matches the catalyst window
A single whale print is not proof of a directional bet. Higher-confidence reads usually require repeated activity, clear urgency signals, and a plausible catalyst timeframe.
$100K+
Minimum premium
Sweeps
Urgency proxy
DTE
Timeframe filter
Tip: pair this page with S&P 500 Index Directory to sanity-check company context.
What is options flow?
Tracking large premium prints
- Definition: options flow analysis tracks unusually large options trades across tickers.
- Why it matters: large premium can reflect institutional positioning, hedging, or catalyst-driven trades.
- Best practice: look for repeated activity in the same direction and timeframe.
Trade size tiers
Notable → Headline
- Use it for: prioritization—bigger tiers can indicate higher capital commitment.
- Trap: big does not always mean bullish/bearish; it can be part of spreads or hedges.
- Workflow: confirm tier + direction + DTE before forming a thesis.
Sweep orders
Urgency and fast execution
- Definition: a sweep is split across exchanges for faster fills.
- Signal: can imply urgency (willingness to pay up) and time sensitivity.
- Use with context: check for catalysts like earnings and macro events.
Bullish vs bearish sentiment
Call vs put premium
- How it’s computed: compares total call premium vs total put premium to estimate bias.
- Watch for: persistent skew, not just one day’s swing.
- Reminder: calls can be sold and puts can be bought as hedges—direction is not guaranteed.
DTE (days to expiration)
Timeframe and decay
- Short DTE: higher urgency and faster theta decay; often catalyst-linked.
- Long DTE: more time for a thesis to play out; often longer-horizon positioning.
- Use it for: matching the trade to the expected catalyst window.
Frequently asked questions
What is unusual options activity? ▼
Unusual options activity refers to options trades that are significantly larger than typical volume for a particular stock. These trades often exceed $100,000+ in premium and may indicate institutional investors or "smart money" positioning for anticipated price movements. Tracking unusual options activity can provide insight into market sentiment and potential catalysts.
What is a whale trade in options? ▼
A whale trade is an exceptionally large options transaction, typically classified by premium size: Notable ($100K+), Unusual ($150K+), Whale ($250K+), Strong Whale ($500K+), and Headline ($1M+). These trades represent significant capital commitments and are often associated with institutional investors, hedge funds, or wealthy individuals with strong conviction about a stock's direction.
What is a sweep order? ▼
A sweep order is a large options order that is split and executed across multiple exchanges simultaneously to get filled quickly. Sweeps often indicate urgency - the trader is willing to pay slightly higher prices at multiple venues to ensure immediate execution. Sweep orders are closely watched as they often precede significant price movements and suggest strong conviction.
How is bullish vs bearish sentiment determined? ▼
Sentiment is determined by comparing the total premium of call options (bullish bets) vs put options (bearish bets). When call premium exceeds put premium, overall sentiment is bullish, indicating traders expect prices to rise. When put premium exceeds call premium, sentiment is bearish. The call/put ratio quantifies this relationship - ratios above 1.0 are bullish, below 1.0 are bearish.
How often is the options whale data updated? ▼
Options whale data is updated on market trading days (Monday-Friday, excluding holidays). The dataset uses a rolling lookback window of the previous 5 trading days to capture meaningful options flow patterns. Trades are aggregated by ticker and categorized by size tier, expiration timeframe, and trade type.
Important considerations
- Not all whale trades are directional — large prints may be hedges or part of complex multi-leg strategies.
- Context matters — consider earnings dates, macro events, and overall market conditions.
- Do your own research — options flow is one data point among many for investment decisions.
- This is not financial advice — past unusual activity does not guarantee future price movements.
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