In the high-stakes world of options trading, few names evoke as much intrigue—and controversy—as Bryan Bottarelli. A former Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) floor trader turned multimillionaire advisor, Bottarelli has built a reputation for spotting market edges that promise outsized gains. His latest offering, Post-Market Profits, centers on a mysterious strategy dubbed “Dark Ticker Trades.” But is this a revolutionary tool for retail investors, or just another glossy pitch in a sea of trading scams? This article dives deep into Bottarelli’s background and the mechanics of his service.
Who Is Bryan Bottarelli?
Bottarelli’s origin story reads like a trading legend. Born with an entrepreneurial spark—he flipped Star Wars figures for 50x profits as a kid and turned lawn-mowing cash into a $1,500 Michael Jordan rookie card sale—he graduated from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business in 1999. Thrust into the dot-com frenzy, he landed a job as a stock options trader at the CBOE, mentored by top floor pros in the chaotic Apple pit. There, amid the roar of open-outcry trading, he honed “secrets” like hedging techniques and chart pattern mastery that he claims give individual traders a pro-level edge.
By 2006, Bottarelli walked off the floor to launch Bottarelli Research, an independent advisory serving elite clients with precise trade alerts. Over 12 years, he claims a track record of 6,037 trades averaging 13% returns every three days—impressive enough to draw comparisons to hedge fund managers. In 2018, he co-founded Monument Traders Alliance (MTA) with Karim Rahemtulla, a former Oxford Club analyst, expanding into a suite of newsletters, live sessions, and a real-time chat room called The War Room. MTA, part of the Agora financial publishing network, now boasts services like Trade of the Day Plus and Catalyst Cashouts LIVE, where Bottarelli and team target 70-80% win rates on short-term plays.
What Is Post-Market Profits?
Launched in early 2024 as an MTA premium service, Post-Market Profits is Bottarelli’s bet on after-hours market dynamics. Priced at $1,997 for full Inner Circle access (bundled with all MTA tools), it promises “multiple chances for triple-digit gains” by exploiting a “powerful new trading symbol” called the Dark Ticker.
At its core, the Dark Ticker refers to zero-day-to-expiration (0DTE) options ETFs from Defiance, like the S&P 500 0DTE Covered Call ETF (ticker: QDTE) or similar products tracking volatility. These “dark” instruments—named for their off-exchange, low-visibility nature—allow bets on rapid rebounds after 1%+ market drops, when institutions scoop up bargains overnight. The strategy: Enter 15-minute post-close trades via these ETFs, hold overnight, and exit by morning for 70-157% gains.
Bottarelli ties this to broader MTA tools: real-time War Room alerts, ProfitSight software for spotting “W” (bullish) and “M” (bearish) patterns, and weekly Catalyst Cashouts sessions decoding government reports like JOLTS or CPI for 83-115% overnight wins. Backtests claim an 83% win rate on JOLTS dates in 2023, potentially turning $10K into $137K annually. Risks are “strictly limited” via hedging, per Bottarelli, making it accessible for beginners.
How Do Dark Ticker Trades Work?
Step-by-step, it’s deceptively simple:
- Spot the Trigger: After a 1%+ S&P drop, scan for rebound signals via ProfitSight’s pattern recognition (e.g., bullish “W” formations).
- Enter Post-Market: Use the Dark Ticker ETF for 0DTE options—calls for upside bets. Allocate 15 minutes max after 4 PM ET.
- Hold Overnight: Institutions’ bargain-hunting creates predictable pops; volatility fuels 100%+ option gains.
- Exit by Open: Sell at 9:30 AM ET. War Room alerts guide timing.
Bottarelli claims this exploits a “repeatable phenomenon” ignored by day traders, with historical data showing 70% wins and 157% average returns on crashes. It’s not day trading—it’s “sleep-easy speculation,” he says.
The Evidence: Does It Deliver?
Proponents rave. Trustpilot reviews for MTA average 4.8/5 from 69 users, with testimonials like one newbie doubling their account in five months via War Room picks. A subscriber gushed: “Bryan & Karim… 15 winners out of 20 trades, average $220 profit.” Bottarelli’s Trade of the Day Plus hit 72% wins in 2023, per MTA disclosures.
Verdict: Legit Opportunity or Overhyped Pitch?
Post-Market Profits and Dark Ticker Trades aren’t outright frauds—Bottarelli’s expertise is genuine, and MTA’s ecosystem offers value for disciplined options traders. The strategy taps real market inefficiencies, like post-drop rebounds, and user successes suggest it works for some. Yet, the glossy promises (triple-digit gains, 80% wins) clash with harsh realities: options’ unlimited risk, execution pitfalls, and unbacktested claims scream caution.
If you’re a CBOE-savvy speculator with $10K+ to risk, it might edge out buy-and-hold. For novices? Start with free Trade of the Day emails and paper trade first. In trading, as Bottarelli knows, the floor rewards the prepared—not the hyped. Approach with eyes wide open.
