The Wheel Strategy Explained

Interactive step-by-step walkthrough — plug in your own numbers.

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1

Sell a Cash-Secured Put

Strike $170.00
Stock $175.10

Sell AAPL $170.00 Put · 30 DTE · $2.55 premium

Capital Required$17,000.00
Premium (×100)$255.00
Annualized ROC18.3%

You sell a put option at your chosen strike price, collecting premium upfront. You must keep enough cash to buy 100 shares if assigned. The stock currently trades above your strike, so you're being paid to wait for a dip.

Expires worthlessKeep premium, repeat
AssignedBuy shares at strike
2

Assignment — You Own Shares

Assigned at $170.00 · Cost basis: $167.45

The stock dropped below your strike, so you're assigned 100 shares. But your effective cost basis is lower than the strike price because you already collected the put premium. Now you own shares and can generate more income by selling calls against them.

3

Sell a Covered Call

Stock $170.00
CC Strike $175.10

Sell AAPL $175.10 Call · 30 DTE · $2.10 premium

With 100 shares in hand, you sell a call option above your purchase price. This collects more premium and further reduces your cost basis to $165.35. If the stock rises to your call strike, your shares get called away at a profit.

Expires worthlessKeep shares + premium, repeat
Called awaySell shares at CC strike
4

Called Away — Cycle Complete

CSP Premium$255.00
CC Premium$210.12
Stock Gain$510.00
Total Return$975.12

The wheel repeats — go back to Stage 1 and sell another cash-secured put.

Ready to run the wheel? Penny tracks every stage and tells you when to act.

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