ThereShort options are advantages and disadvantages to writing ITM callsnot "automatically exercised as soon as the sale goes through". However, before explaining that For the most part, ifthey are exercised:
Prior to expiration when they trade at a discount
In some instances when there is a pending dividend
At expiration when the are ITM
If the underlying is $25, the $25 strike is ATM not ITM. Perhaps
The advantage of selling an ITM call is downside protection. The deeper ITM the call is, the greater the amount of downside protection since you meant writing a $20are selling more intrinsic value. The drawback is that the more ITM the call? is, the lower the amount of time premium and therefore, the lower the upside profit potential.
ItThe amount of downside protection versus time premium is incorrect to assumethe trade off. If you want more protection, you get less potential profit and vice versa.
A loose rule of thumb is that anythe premium for ATM options is related to the square root of the time remaining, with all other pricing parameters being equal. So if a 9 month option written wouldis trading for $3 (sq root of 9), it will be "automatically exercisedworth $2 at the 4 month mark (sq rt of 4) and $1 at the one month mark (sq rt of 1).
So with no dividends and no change in implied volatility, carry cost or underlying price, it takes 5 months to lose 1/3 of its value, 3 months to lose the next 1/3 of its value, and 1 month to lose the last 1/3 of its value. In real life, this comparison only holds true at a specific lower level of implied volatility and the relationship changes as soonIV changes as well as if the sale goes through"option is ITM or OTM. What does this mean in practical usage? Time decay is non linear which means that shorter term expiries offer more premium per day than longer term expiries. That’s why writers tend to sell nearer weeks/months and buyers tend to buy further out weeks/months.