When you buy options you get the option to purchase at strike. You can sell the options before the exercise date and you don’t have to buy the shares.

If you bought 1 contract with a strike of $10 for $1.00, and the stock moves to $20, at expiration that option would be worth around $10. Then you could sell it for your gain instead of exercising it.

Long story short, the people who bought options early on GME are flying sky high right now.