We've Been Playing Monopoly Wrong For Years
Believe it or not, we've apparently been playing Monopoly wrong for years, with the official rulebook confirming a forgotten fact about buying property.
23rd May 2022 09:37
Hasbro | 20th Century Fox
We've Been Playing Monopoly Wrong For Years
Believe it or not, we've apparently been playing Monopoly wrong for years, with the official rulebook confirming a forgotten fact about buying property.
23rd May 2022 09:37
Hasbro | 20th Century Fox
Let's be honest, who really reads the rules? If you manage to wrangle your family together for a board game, chances are you've already had a row and grandma is probably drunk in the corner on sherry. By this point, no one wants to sit down and flick through a stuffy rulebook.
In terms of GOATed board games, Monopoly wipes the board with the competition. The final trap in Mousetrap never works, Risk gets too bogged down in the politics of war, and we're bored of seeing Colonel Mustard do it in the library with a lead pipe. Given that Monopoly has been around since 1935, you might think we know how to play.
Have We Been Playing Monopoly Wrong?
You'll know that the aim of the game in Monopoly is to build your own property empire and bankrupt your opponents. Whether you try to nab the reds, pinks, or focus on utilities, you know everyone is gunning for those pricey dark blues at the end. Stick a hotel on them, and it's game over for everyone else.
In a resurfaced tweet, it turns out we've been rolling the dice wrong for the past 87 years - well, most of us have. When you land on a property, you're able to buy it provided no one else owns it and you have the funds. Most of us buy all the property we can, but if you decide not to (you fool), it's supposed to go to auction.
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The official rulebook states: "If you do not wish to buy the property, the Banker sells it at auction to the highest bidder. The buyer pays the Bank the amount of the bid in cash and receives the Title Deed card for that property." Most of us play it that if the rolling player decides against buying a property, it remains for sale until someone else lands on it.
Fans Have Their Minds Blown By This Monopoly Trivia
The upside of playing the official way is that Monopoly should go much quicker. How many evenings have we wasted continuously rolling until someone eventually loses their temper and rage-quits by flipping the board over? Although sticklers for the rules say they've always known this is the way to play, others had their minds blown quicker than you can say Community Chest.
"Nothing can destroy a family faster than arguing over how to play Monopoly. Nobody plays that game right," said one, while another added, "Yes! So many house rules make the game miserable. The formal rules keep the game to an hour instead of a lifetime." These days, there's a board game resurgence with everything from Ticket to Ride to Unfathomable showing the classics how it's done. Still, now you know how to play Monopoly "properly," it could be time to revisit it.
About The Author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
