Monopoly is one of the world’s most beloved board games. Since its launch in the 1930s, the game has been enjoyed by over 1 billion people. With over 250 million games sold, Monopoly is licensed by over 100 countries and is available in 47 languages. [I]
Despite Monopoly’s popularity, many may be surprised that they have been playing it wrong. Some people have even damaged their relationships with friends or family because of disagreements over the beloved game. [ii]
A Chance card. – Photo by Rich Brooks/Wikimedia Commons
It’s easy to see how quickly a game can be turned upside down. Surveys have reported that 47.7% of Monopoly players have fought while playing Monopoly. For couples, 81% say that Monopoly was the reason for marital conflict. Even Queen Elizabeth is said to have banned Monopoly play in her presence because the games were becoming “too vicious.” [v] [vi]
According to a recent study, 69% of Monopoly players admit they have never read the official rule book. Additionally, 49% of players say they purposely make up their own rules to play by. Using the digital version of the game, Marmalade Game Studio researched the most common made-up rules that many believed were official. [iii]
Monopoly – Photo by Fir0002 – Flagstaffotos/Wikimedia Commons
The ten most widely used made-up Monopoly rules
- Free Parking – Tax payments and cash handed over from Chance Cards go to Free Parking. Anyone who lands on Free Parking wins the cash bonus. Officially, Free Parking is only an empty square that gives players a break. Therefore, tax payments and cash from Chance Cards should be paid into the bank, not to the Free Parking space.
- Skip spaces – Gameplay without enforcing tax squares is made-up. Although it is a standard ‘house rule,’ it is not in the official rule book.
- Earn double for landing on GO – If you land directly on GO, you collect $400 instead of $200. So officially, landing on GO allows you to collect $200, nothing more.
Photo by Mark Strozier/Wikimedia Commons
- Cannot collect rent in jail – While in jail, you cannot collect rent. However, in the official rule book, rent is collectible no matter where you are.
- No auctions – If a player lands on a property and does not want it, it remains unwanted until someone who does want to buy it lands on it. The official way to play is that all properties must go to an auction if not purchased.
- Auction only – Alternatively, some say that if you land on a property, it goes up for auction no matter what, even if you want to buy it.
Photo by Mark Strozier/Wikimedia Commons
- Game Over – Whoever has the most significant money when the first player goes bankrupt wins. Officially, the game of Monopoly ends when one player achieves ownership of everything.
- Quick hotels – Only three houses are needed to invest in a hotel. However, Monopoly’s official rules require the purchase of 4 houses before buying a hotel.
- Quick jail – Players return to the game after just one turn in jail. Officially, a player must roll doubles or wait for three turns to get out of jail.
- Starting with property – At the start of the game, players each start with three random properties. Officially, the fun begins with everyone having 0 properties and the same amount of cash. [iv]
References
[i] Brianna Lecompte, Monopoly Has Been Played By Over 1 Billion People (Nov. 8, 2022)
[ii] Nicole Pelletiere, 25 Little-known Facts About Monopoly, 80 Years Later (Jan. 22, 2015)
[iii] Marmalade, The Most Famous Monopoly Rules You Never Knew Were Made-Up (Jun. 15, 2021)
[iv] Id.
[v] Dustin Nelson, These Are the Games That Cause the Most Fights (Aug. 29, 2017)
[vi] Sophie Hamilton, Why the royal family ‘aren’t allowed’ to play this popular board game (Dec. 23, 2021)
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[Article Note: This piece was originally published on NewsBreak and has been archived and transferred to DOPE Quick Reads to preserve its informational value. Original publication date: 2022-12-17]
