Stock market Reddit: where to read, and how to check what you read

r/investing and r/stocks lean toward company fundamentals, index funds and portfolio questions. r/options and r/thetagang are where options mechanics get explained, including assignment, rolling and the Greeks. r/Daytrading covers intraday setups and risk rules. r/wallstreetbets moves fast and is mostly screenshots of big wins and bigger losses.

Every subreddit has its own wiki or pinned FAQ. Reading it before you post saves you from the questions that get the same answer every week.

Most posts make one of three claims: a stock is breaking out, options traders are piling in, or dealers will force a move. Each one can be checked. Open the chart and look at volume compared with its average. Open the options chain and compare today's volume with open interest at the strikes being talked about. Look at gamma exposure to see whether dealers are positioned to dampen moves or chase them.

If the data does not show what the post says, the post is a story. If it does, you still decide the size of the trade and where you are wrong before you enter.

Watch for screenshots without dates, gains with no position size, tickers with tiny volume, and accounts that only post about one stock. Urgency is the biggest one: a post that says you must buy today is asking you to skip the checking.