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Charlie Nguyen: Advantage Player and Options Trader

I’m Charlie Nguyen, and I write the articles on ETFap. I’m a professional casino advantage player and a full-time options trader, and I bring the same math-first habits to SPX, SPY, QQQ and IBIT.

About me

In March 2018 I learned to count cards through Blackjack Apprenticeship, then quickly moved beyond counting into more advanced advantage plays. I started with a $7,000 bankroll and grew it to seven figures.

I’ve traded options part time since 2010. Today the roles have swapped: options trading is my full-time work, and casino advantage play is part time.

How I approach trading

Measure the edge. Decisions come from the math, not from hunches: know the real odds and the real cost before taking a bet.
Size every bet so no single loss can knock you out. Position size is the main risk control.
Walk away when the odds turn. No edge, no trade.
Show the numbers. Real data with sources and dates, and plain words about uncertainty and risk.

Articles by Charlie Nguyen

Why I Trade SPX, SPY, QQQ and IBIT Options: An Advantage Player on Liquidity and Fills · Oct 25, 2026
Why the bid-ask spread is the trader’s house edge, why SPX belongs next to SPY, and the Cboe data on which options are cheapest to trade.

Tools I built for ETFap

IBIT options trade ideas POP vs POT vs P50 Buy the Dip app Crypto ETF list All tools

Charlie Nguyen is a pen name. I still play in casinos, and as an advantage player I keep my real identity private so I can keep playing.

More about the site: About ETFap. Everything on ETFap is education, not financial advice.

Education only, not financial advice. This site is not affiliated with any fund issuer. Coins-per-share figures come from issuer websites and can be delayed or wrong, so check the issuer’s page before you rely on a number. Crypto is very volatile and you can lose money.