Why Does the Same Options Strategy Make Money in Backtests but Fall Short Live? The directional idea can be right while the execution assumptions are wrong. Match contracts, quotes, fills, and fees to see where the backtest-to-live gap comes from.
Can Half a Second of Latency Wipe Out a Thin Trading Edge? A thin profit leaves little room for worse fills. Separate the delay from its cost, then trace one order before paying for a faster setup.
Why Does My Backtest Barely Make Money After Trading Costs? A trade earns 12 basis points before costs. Fees, the spread, and slippage leave just 1. Here’s how to check what your backtest actually includes.
Your Backtest Made 20%. What Is Left After Real Slippage? In this worked example, a 20% backtest return falls to 10% with 0.05% adverse slippage per side—and reaches zero at 0.10%.