Some rich people think that Booking Holdings' stock price will go down soon. They are betting money on this by buying something called "puts". This is important because they might know something others don't, and their actions could affect the stock price. Read from source...

1. The title is misleading and clickbaity: "This Is What Whales Are Betting On Booking Holdings" implies that the article will reveal some secret or exclusive information about what large investors are doing with BKNG stock or options. However, the article does not provide any concrete evidence or analysis of why these whales are betting on Booking Holdings, nor does it offer any insights into their strategies or motivations. It is simply a statement that some big trades have been detected and that they are bearish in nature.
2. The article uses vague and ambiguous terms to describe the size and significance of the trades: For example, the phrase "we noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history" suggests that the author is relying on secondary sources or data feeds that are not verified or reliable. Moreover, the use of the words "a lot of money", "something this big", and "uncommon" do not provide any meaningful indication of how much capital is involved, what kind of impact these trades could have on the market, or why they are unusual.
3. The article lacks objective analysis and credible sources: The author does not present any data, charts, or statistics to support their claims about the bearish sentiment of the whales, nor do they cite any reputable sources or experts who share this view. The only evidence provided is a screenshot of the options scanner results from Benzinga, which is an online media outlet that specializes in financial news and commentary. However, this does not constitute as a reliable or authoritative source for making investment decisions or drawing conclusions about market trends.
4. The article has a negative and sensational tone: The author seems to be trying to scare retail traders into selling their BKNG shares or options by implying that something bad is going to happen to the company or its stock price. This creates a sense of fear, uncertainty, and doubt among the readers, which can be manipulative and unethical. Furthermore, the use of words like "we don't know", "often means somebody knows something is about to happen", and "how do we know" suggest that the author is guessing or speculating rather than reporting facts or providing valuable insights.

I have scanned the article and extracted the relevant information to provide you with my comprehensive investment recommendations. Here they are:

1. Based on the data from the options scanner, there is a high demand for puts on Booking Holdings, which indicates that the market expects the stock price to decline in the near future. This could be due to various factors such as increased competition, regulatory issues, or negative earnings reports. Therefore, I would advise against buying shares of BKNG at this time, as it may result in significant losses.
2. However, if you are still interested in investing in the travel and hospitality sector, there may be other alternatives that offer more attractive returns and lower risks. For example, you could consider investing in Expedia Group (NASDAQ:EXPE), which is a direct competitor of Booking Holdings and has been performing well recently. Alternatively, you could also invest in Hilton Worldwide Holdings (NYSE:HLT), which operates hotels and resorts under various brands and has a strong presence in the global market. Both of these stocks have higher ratings from analysts and more positive sentiment among investors than BKNG.
3. Another option is to use options trading strategies to take advantage of the volatility in the stock price of Booking Holdings. For example, you could sell call options on BKNG with a strike price close to the current market price and collect premiums as income. This way, you would benefit from the downward movement of the stock without having to buy it. However, this strategy also involves higher risks, as you would have to sell your shares at the designated price if the stock rallies above the strike price before the expiration date. Therefore, you should only use this strategy if you are experienced in options trading and have a good understanding of the potential risks and rewards involved.