This is your platform literacy step. You will log in, learn how the dashboard is organized, then walk through one symbol end-to-end—without treating anything as a trade signal. Estimated time: ~30–45 minutes (first visit may take longer while you explore).
1. Account access — sign up and login
Create an account
- Go to bigdipperoptions.com.
- Open Sign Up from the site menu.
- Enter your details and create an account.
- New accounts include a 30-day free trial with access to premium features (see FAQ for subscription details after the trial).
Log in
- Return to bigdipperoptions.com.
- Choose Login (or Sign In).
- Enter your email and password.
- You should land on the main dashboard or your last workspace view.
Forgot password
- On the Login page, click Forgot Password.
- Follow the email instructions to reset your password.
- If you are stuck, contact support@bigdipperoptions.com or Contact Us.
Secure your account (recommended)
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) in account settings for extra protection.
- BigDipperOptions uses encrypted connections; payment details are handled by Stripe (see FAQ).
- BigDipperOptions does not connect to your brokerage—you log in only to this platform for research.
What you need before you start studying
- Active login
- You have read Delayed Data Disclaimer
- You understand chart prices are for research, not live execution
- (Recommended) A paper trading account at a brokerage for practicing orders before real size
Paper trading before live size
BigDipperOptions is for research only—you still need a brokerage to place, close, and manage options. Before your first live wheel trade, practice the mechanics (open, close, roll, assignment) in a paper account with simulated money.Broker features change. At the time of writing this document, Robinhood and Fidelity do not offer paper trading; Alpaca and Schwab are two platforms where you can practice. This is not an endorsement—pick a broker that fits your region, products, and support needs, and confirm paper trading on their site before you rely on it.
- Research on BigDipperOptions (delayed charts, Options Chain Report—the Wheel page comes later in the Wheel track).
- Execute and manage the same workflow in your paper account—confirm live underlying and option quotes there.
- Journal fills and decisions until closing, rolling, and assignment feel routine (see the lifecycle page in the Wheel track).
- Only then scale to live size with your written screening and execution rules from the Wheel track.
2. Dashboard navigation
Get comfortable moving around before you interpret GEX on a ticker. The dashboard is a market intelligence workspace—not an order entry screen. Use search to find symbols and filters on each page to narrow expiries, strikes, and chart types. Spending a few minutes on the Chain tab filters early makes every graph easier to read. Full walkthrough: Navigation tips · Per-expiry metrics: Key metrics explainedTop navigation
Open the Options Chain Report and select a ticker in the report header search (e.g.
AAPL).
Full UI walkthrough with screenshots: Navigation tips.
Options Chain Report — sections and filters
The report is one scrollable page with five sections. Each section has its own Filter control and chart tools.
GEX filters to learn first: Individual expiry · Filter · Strike range (5%, 10%, 20%, 50%, All).
Per-expiry labels on the GEX chart: Max Gamma Put/Call, Call Wall, Price. Details: Key metrics explained.
Suggested first-time tour (~15 min)
- Open the Options Chain Report and search AAPL or another liquid symbol.
- Scroll Stock Price—note trend and regime badges.
- On GEX, pick one expiry and 10% strike range; find Call Wall and Max Gamma labels.
- Open Weight Distribution—toggle Score vs GEX.
- Skim Options Activity (Volume / Trend).
- Do not place trades here—verify live underlying and option prices at your broker before any order.
Navigation habits that help
- Learn search + filters first—each section has its own Filter control; familiarity saves time later
- One symbol per study session until labels feel familiar
- Same symbol, multiple tabs/views beats jumping across tickers
- Refresh awareness—chart prices are delayed; re-check Delayed Data Disclaimer if quotes look “stale”
- Documentation sidebar on this site maps to dashboard concepts—bookmark pages you use often
Dashboard docs (reference)
- Navigation tips
- Wheel Page Guide
- Interpreting graphs
- Key metrics explained
- Focus on GEX and Options Analytics
3. Guided study session (~20–25 min)
With navigation covered, run this workflow on one symbol.Step A — Price context
Open Stock Price History (or the equivalent chart on the dashboard). Ask:- Trending or range-bound recently?
- Where did price stall or bounce in the last few months?
Step B — Options Chain Report
Follow Navigation tips (with screenshots).- Search your symbol in the report header
- Review Stock Price and Price Direction Bias
- On GEX, set expiry + strike range; note walls and max gamma
- Compare Weight Distribution Score vs GEX tabs
Step C — GEX and walls
Open on the dashboard and cross-read:Step D — Activity and pricing shape
- Options Trend Graph — where activity clustered
- Price Direction Bias — score and activity heatmap by strike and expiry
Step E — Score (read correctly)
What Does the Score Show?:- Score is a composite (IV, open interest (OI), gamma/GEX, volume, and more)—use it to screen on BigDipperOptions first
- Higher score ≈ more engagement at that strike vs other strikes on the symbol
- Not “high win rate”—after shortlisting here, confirm IV / IV Rank and live quotes at your broker
- Score is experimental—relative comparison only
Step F — Optional: volatility context
When ready: Use these to notice calm vs stressed environments—still not trade instructions.Step G — Write a one-paragraph summary
In your own words, for your chosen symbol:- Spot vs recent range
- GEX sign (positive / negative / mixed)
- One put-wall and one call-wall level (or “flat structure”)
- One sentence on what the score highlights
- Reminder: prices on charts are delayed—confirm live underlying and option prices at your broker before any order
4. How this connects to the Wheel track
The Wheel track assumes you can log in and read the Options Chain Report without confusing platform labels for trade signals. The Wheel page is introduced in the execution step—use the Wheel Page Guide beside the app when you reach it.
5. Troubleshooting
Checkpoint
- I created an account or logged in successfully
- I toured the dashboard and found chain + GEX views for one symbol
- I can name one put wall and one call wall (or note if flat)
- I used score to screen on BigDipperOptions—then confirmed IV and live quotes at broker
- I wrote a one-paragraph summary for my practice symbol