Consider a hypothetical example of a call option (call) with a strike price of 100 yen. The payoff is 20 yen if the underlying asset is at 120 yen at expiry, and zero at 90 yen because the call is not exercised. If 5 yen was paid as the premium, the profit or loss at expiry is a 15 yen profit at 120 yen and a 5 yen loss at 90 yen.

Sources do not distinguish payoff from profit or loss consistently, and some call a line drawn without subtracting the premium a "profit and loss (payoff)" chart.