The Monopoly board game is one of those timeless classics that almost everyone has played—or at least heard of. First published in the 1930s, it has become one of the most popular family games worldwide. The heart of Monopoly is simple: you roll dice, move around the board, and try to build a property empire. The ultimate goal is to outlast your opponents by buying, trading, and managing properties until everyone else goes bankrupt.
Over the years, Monopoly has expanded into hundreds of themed editions—ranging from cities and sports teams to pop culture tie-ins. While these versions add fun twists, the classic Monopoly rules remain the foundation and are what we’ll focus on here.
A standard game is designed for 2 to 8 players and usually takes about 1 to 2 hours to play, though depending on the group (and how many house rules are added), games can sometimes run longer. Whether you’re playing with family or friends, Monopoly is a mix of luck, negotiation, and strategy, which makes each playthrough feel different.
Setting Up the Game
TL;DR: setting up Monopoly Set up Monopoly by placing the board and shuffled decks in the middle. Each player picks a token, starts on “Go,” and receives $1,500 ($1 x 5, $5 x1 , $10 x 2, $20 x 1, $50 x 1, $100 x 4, $500 x 2). Appoint a Banker to handle money and property cards. Everyone rolls a die to decide who goes first, with play moving clockwise.
Setting up Monopoly is quick and simple, and it’s the first step to diving into the fun. Start by unfolding the main board and placing it in the center of the table so everyone can reach. Take the Chance and Community Chest decks, shuffle them well, and place them face down on their matching spaces in the middle of the board.
Next, each player chooses a token to represent them on the board. If you can’t agree on who picks first, settle it with a quick die roll—the highest number gets the first choice. Place all tokens on the “Go” square once chosen.
Every player begins the game with $1,500, distributed in a very specific way. This combination keeps the game fair and ensures players have a mix of smaller and larger bills for transactions:
- 5 × $1
- 1 × $5
- 2 × $10
- 1 × $20
- 1 × $50
- 4 × $100
- 2 × $500
Once money is handed out, choose a player to act as the Banker. The Banker manages the bank’s cash, property cards, and houses and hotels. Don’t worry—if the bank “runs out” of bills, you can just jot balances down on paper. The bank is unlimited by design.
Finally, determine the player order. Everyone rolls a die, and the highest roll goes first. Play then moves clockwise around the table—so the person sitting to their left will go next.
What’s in the Monopoly Box?
While special editions may vary, the Classic Monopoly set usually includes:
- 1 Game board
- 8 Player tokens
- 28 Title deed cards
- 16 Chance cards
- 16 Community Chest cards
- 32 Houses
- 12 Hotels
- 2 Dice
- $20,580 in Monopoly money (with 30 notes each of every denomination)
- 1 Rulebook
That’s all you need to get the game rolling.
Monopoly Rules
TL;DR:Monopoly Rules: Roll two dice, move clockwise, and act on the space you land on—buy property, pay rent, draw cards, or follow instructions. Collect $200 when passing or landing on Go. Roll doubles for another turn, but three in a row sends you to Jail. Landing on Go pays $200 by rule, though some play with a $400 house rule.
Every turn in Monopoly starts with rolling both dice. Move your token forward the total number of spaces shown, always moving clockwise around the board. If you pass or land on “Go,” collect $200 right away.
Once you’ve completed your move, follow the instructions for the space you land on. This could mean buying a property, paying rent to another player, drawing a Chance or Community Chest card, or paying taxes. If you land on “Go to Jail,” your token goes directly there, and you won’t collect $200 for passing Go.
When your action is done, your turn usually ends—unless you roll doubles. Doubles give you an extra turn, which can be a huge advantage because you get another chance to buy property or earn money. However, rolling doubles three times in a row sends you straight to Jail for “speeding.”
Getting out of Jail works the same every time: either use a Get Out of Jail Free card, roll doubles on your next turn, or pay a $50 fine before rolling.
Landing on Go
By the official rules, landing on “Go” doesn’t give you any bonus—you only ever collect $200, whether you pass or land directly on it. If a Chance or Community Chest card tells you to “Advance to Go,” you collect $200 as usual. Sometimes this happens right after passing Go, meaning you pocket $400 total in a single turn.
Many families use a house rule that doubles the reward for landing exactly on Go, giving $400 instead. While fun, this makes games longer, which is why the official rules stick to the standard $200.
Buying Properties in Monopoly
TL;DR: Buying Properties in Monopoly: Buy unowned properties when you land on them, or they go to auction. Build houses and hotels after owning a full color set, placing them evenly. Mortgaged properties earn no rent but can be traded with a 10% interest fee. Trades are allowed anytime, but properties with houses or hotels must be sold back before exchanging.
Owning property is the heart of Monopoly—it’s how you earn rent, grow your fortune, and push opponents toward bankruptcy.
When you land on an unowned property, you may buy it at the printed price on its deed card. If you pass, the property immediately goes to auction. Any player, including you, can bid, and there’s no required starting price—the first bid sets it. The highest bidder pays the bank and takes the deed card.
Once you own a property, other players must pay you rent if they land on it. Rent values are listed on the deed card and rise as you build houses and hotels. Be careful, though: if a property is mortgaged, no rent can be collected until you pay it off. And remember—if you forget to demand rent before the next player rolls, you lose your chance.
Building Houses and Hotels
To build, you must own all properties in a color group. Once you have a full set, unimproved properties charge double rent. You can then start adding houses. Each property in the set must be built on evenly: one house on each before any property gets a second, and so on.
A property can hold up to four houses. After that, you can exchange the four houses for one hotel. Only one hotel is allowed per property, but each space in the set can have one. Houses can be sold back to the bank at half their price, again keeping them balanced across the set.
Houses and hotels can be purchased at any time—even during another player’s turn—unless you’re dealing with utilities or railroads, which can’t have buildings. If the bank runs out of houses, you’ll have to wait until someone sells theirs back.
Mortgaged Properties
To mortgage a property, flip its deed card and take the mortgage value from the bank. Only unimproved properties can be mortgaged, so you must sell any houses or hotels first. While mortgaged, the property earns no rent.
Unmortgaging requires repaying the mortgage plus 10% interest. Some editions print the exact repayment amount on the back of the card. If you trade or buy a mortgaged property, you must immediately pay 10% interest to the bank. If you choose not to clear the mortgage right away, you’ll owe another 10% when you eventually do.
Trading Properties
Trading is where Monopoly gets strategic. You can swap properties, money, or a mix of both at any time—even using trades to cover rent. The only restriction is that you cannot trade a property with buildings on it. Any houses or hotels must first be sold back to the bank. After that, it’s up to the players to strike a deal.
Rolling Doubles and Landing on Go
TL;DR: Doubles and Go: Rolling doubles lets you take another turn, but three consecutive doubles send you to Jail. Landing on Go officially gives $200, and drawing an Advance to Go card adds another $200. Popular house rules may give $400 for landing on Go, but this isn’t part of the official rules and slows the game.
When you roll doubles in Monopoly, you get to take another turn immediately after completing your current one. If you roll doubles a second time, you get a third turn. But rolling doubles three times in a row sends you straight to Jail, where you must wait until your next turn to leave by paying $50, using a Get Out of Jail Free card, or rolling doubles.
Landing on Go officially gives you $200, the same as when you pass it. If a Chance or Community Chest card directs you to Advance to Go, you collect another $200, potentially earning $400 in one turn. Some families play a house rule giving $400 just for landing, but this isn’t official and extends the game.
Free Parking in Monopoly
TL;DR: Free Parking: By the official rules, Free Parking doesn’t give you money—you just wait there until your next turn. A common house rule gives the space all taxes and fees collected, but this isn’t official and makes the game longer. Stick to the official rule for faster, smoother play.
Officially, the Free Parking space does nothing. When you land there, you don’t collect money or gain any advantage—you simply wait until your next turn.
Many families use a popular house rule that places all fees and taxes in the center of the board to be collected by whoever lands on Free Parking. While fun, this slows the game significantly and isn’t part of the official rules.
Jail Rules in Monopoly
TL;DR: Jail Rules in Monopoly: You go to Jail by rolling doubles three times, landing on the “Go to Jail” space, or drawing a Jail card. While there, you don’t collect $200 for passing Go. You leave Jail by paying $50, using a Get Out of Jail Free card, or rolling doubles within three turns. You can still collect rent and manage properties.
In Monopoly, Jail can slow you down or sometimes work to your advantage. Players are sent to Jail in three ways: rolling doubles three times in one turn, landing on the Go to Jail space, or drawing a Go to Jail card from Chance or Community Chest. No matter what sends you there, you don’t pass Go and you don’t collect $200. Place your token on the “In Jail” section, not “Just Visiting.”
How to Get Out of Jail
On your turn, you can leave Jail in three ways:
- Use a Get Out of Jail Free card.
- Pay a $50 fine before rolling.
- Roll doubles on your dice.
If you use a card or pay the fine, you immediately move to “Just Visiting” and take your turn normally. If you try rolling doubles and fail, you lose that turn. After three failed attempts, you must either pay the $50 or use a card—then you move forward the number of spaces from your last roll.
When you leave Jail by rolling doubles, you don’t get a bonus roll—you simply move forward by the dice total. But if you left Jail by paying or using a card and then roll doubles, you play as normal and take another turn.
Can You Still Collect Rent in Jail?
Yes! Jail doesn’t stop you from collecting rent or managing your properties. You can still buy, sell, and build while you’re locked up. In fact, during the late game, some players prefer staying in Jail since it lets them collect rent while avoiding expensive properties owned by opponents. Just remember—you can only remain there for a maximum of three turns.
How to Win at Monopoly
TL;DR: How to Win at Monopoly: Win by being the last player with money. Bankruptcy eliminates opponents, with their assets going to either the bank or another player. Buy most properties, build houses early, and prioritize Orange and Red sets. Don’t sit on cash—invest. Later in the game, Jail becomes a safe spot. Play by official rules for the best edge.
The goal of Monopoly is simple: be the last player with money. Everyone else is eliminated once they go bankrupt. Bankruptcy happens when a player can’t pay what they owe—whether to another player or to the bank—and they don’t have enough properties to trade or mortgage to cover the debt.
If a player goes bankrupt to another player, that opponent takes their remaining property cards. Houses and hotels are sold back to the bank for half their cost, and the money goes to the surviving player. Any mortgaged properties transfer with a catch: the new owner must pay 10% interest immediately. If they don’t unmortgage right away, they’ll pay another 10% when they eventually do.
If a player goes bankrupt to the bank, all their properties are repossessed. Houses and hotels are cleared off the board, and the properties are auctioned to the remaining players.
Monopoly Tips for Winning
- Buy nearly everything you land on. Properties generate rent and build your income. The only ones worth skipping early are utilities—they’re less valuable unless you get them cheaply at auction.
- Build houses quickly. Once you own a color set, invest in houses. They multiply your rent and block opponents from surviving long. Hold off on hotels unless you need them—keeping houses limited also slows down your rivals.
- Don’t hoard cash. Spending early builds your empire. Even if you mortgage later to cover costs, owning property is how you stay in the game.
- Target Orange and Red properties. Statistically, these are landed on the most, especially as players exit Jail. Owning them gives you steady, reliable income.
- Use Jail strategically. In the late game, staying in Jail keeps you safe from costly rents while still letting you collect from opponents. Don’t rush to get out unless it benefits you.
- Stick to official rules. It may be tempting to play with house rules, but following the real ones keeps the game balanced and gives everyone a fair chance.