Foundations of Options Market Making: Skills, Strategies & Simulations

Course Overview

This intensive one-day Options Market Making Foundations course is designed for early-career professionals, whether it’s at the recruitment stage, as new hires or junior traders. Led by an experienced ex-options market maker and powered by the Volcube options trading simulator, this course delivers an immersive and hands-on learning experience.

Participants will gain a foundational understanding of what it means to be an options market maker, how to price and quote options and how to manage volatility and directional risk. The course blends expert instruction, live demonstrations and structured simulation exercises to accelerate learning, provide real-time feedback and build practical competence in a risk-free, gamified environment.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this Options Market Making course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the core role and responsibilities of an options market maker, including quoting, hedging and maintaining fair markets under pressure.
• Apply options pricing fundamentals using basic models and interpret the impact of changes in implied volatility, time decay and the Greeks.
• Quote bid-ask spreads and manage inventory risks in fast-moving markets using simulation-based scenarios.
• Execute delta-hedging techniques to stay neutral in directional movements and assess gamma risk during large price swings.
• Interpret and react to volatility shifts by constructing appropriate option strategies (e.g. straddles, strangles, vertical spreads).
• Evaluate real-time market flow and order book activity to make informed quoting decisions and protect against adverse selection.
• Receive structured feedback on trading performance using Volcube’s analytics, including accuracy, speed, profitability and decision quality.
• Demonstrate situational awareness and discipline under simulated market stress, simulating realistic trading floor conditions.
• Develop the mindset and habits of a professional market maker, including continuous improvement, pattern recognition and rapid learning from feedback.
• Build confidence in quoting and trading options, laying a strong foundation for progression into live roles and more advanced market-making functions.