Unusual Options Activity Today
Option contracts trading far more than their open interest today, which usually means fresh positions. Scanned across 24 of the most active stocks and ETFs, the next two expirations within 60 days, sorted by estimated premium.
Updated Oct 27, 2026, 9:09 AM ET. Volume vs. open interest, not live tape. It can't tell buys from sells. Not trade advice.
How to Read This
Vol/OI is today's volume divided by yesterday's open interest. At 5x, five times more contracts traded today than existed this morning, so most of it is new money. "New" means the contract had no open interest at all.
Est. Premium is volume times the current mid price. It's an estimate of how much money changed hands, which separates a $5 million bet from a pile of cheap lottery tickets.
A lot of big options volume is hedging, not a directional bet. The guides on unusual options activity and reading options flow cover how to tell the difference. Click a ticker to see its gamma exposure levels.
Selling Puts on One of These?
The free scanner grades 25 stocks A to F on IV Rank, trend, and earnings risk, so you can check whether the premium is actually worth it.
Open the Free Scanner →Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as unusual options activity here?
A contract makes the list when today's volume is at least 500 contracts, at least 2.5 times its open interest (or open interest is zero), and the estimated premium traded is over $100,000. Volume that big relative to open interest usually means new positions are being opened, not old ones closed.
Does this show whether the trades were bought or sold?
No. This scan uses volume and open interest, not trade-by-trade tape, so it can't tell you whether a buyer or a seller started the trade. A big put volume day could be someone buying protection or someone selling puts for income. Use it as a list of where the money showed up, then look closer.
How often is it updated?
The page refreshes about once an hour during the day. Open interest only updates overnight, so the volume-to-OI ratio gets more meaningful as the session goes on.
Is this real-time options flow?
No. Real-time flow tools catch individual sweeps and blocks as they print, and they cost $50 to $150 a month. This is a free once-an-hour snapshot. For a lot of traders, especially premium sellers, that's enough to know where to look.
How should a put seller use unusual activity?
As context, not a signal. Heavy new put volume on a stock you're about to sell puts on is worth a second look: check the news and earnings date. Heavy call volume doesn't make a put safe either. The setup still has to work on IV Rank, strike, and a price you'd be happy to own.