We’ve been playing Monopoly wrong – as ‘key rules’ are being made up

As Christmas is finally here to grace us all, it’s time to dust off the Monopoly board that only comes out at this time of year.

Board are a staple of many family festive celebrations, especially when there’s nothing left to watch on TV and you need something to entertain the kids.

One of the most popular games to play at is the timeless classic, Monopoly. Or at least, it seems like a good idea for about 10 minutes before everyone starts arguing over who owns what property and who needs to pay up.

Many of the family disputes that arise from the game stem from disagreements over the rules, such as whether you can collect rent while in jail or if landing on Free Parking earns you all the tax money. However, according to one board game expert, these arguments happen because none of us are actually following the rules as they’re written in the game instructions.

It comes after one user revealed a hack to win Monopoly in 60 seconds in a clip which garnered hundreds of likes. But of course, if you want to play the long game then you can really benefit from the correct rules.

Now Amber Crook, Editorial Chief and board games expert at , has debunked several of the “made up” rules we often use when playing Monopoly, hopefully helping you avoid a family feud this Christmas.

You should not receive money for landing on Free Parking

Many families play Monopoly with a rule in place that whenever you pay taxes or fines, you put the money into the centre of the board. Then, when someone lands on the Free Parking square, they get a nice bonus and can pick up all the money that has been collected in the middle.

According to Amber, however, that is not an official rule. She said: “Many think that any in-game fines and taxes are paid to the Free Parking square for players to collect if they roll and land on it. While it may add an exciting element of luck to the game, this is, unfortunately, not an official rule. Instead, any in-game fines should be paid directly to the bank, and the Free Parking square should serve only as a ‘resting place’ if a player lands on it, according to the rule book.”

You can collect rent while in jail

Going to jail as a property owner in the game can cause a whole host of arguments, as some will tell you that you cannot collect rent if people land on properties you own while you’re sitting in jail. But Amber states you can continue to manage your properties while in jail – but you have to pay attention.

She explained: “It’s a common misconception that when a player is in jail, they can’t collect rent if another player lands on a property they own. Again, not true! You can collect rent or buy and sell properties or houses, as you normally would while in jail. Regardless of whether you are in jail or not, if you fail to notice a player has landed on your property, you cannot then ask them for rent once the next player has already rolled the dice.”

Getting out of jail comes with a price

We all know getting out of jail requires you to roll a double with your dice. However, most people will play the game with the rule that if you fail to get a double roll three times, you can automatically move yourself out of jail for free. This isn’t true, though, and the rules state if you can’t roll a double, you must pay the bank M50 to get out.

You don’t need to wait until your turn to buy houses

You might think you need to wait until it’s your turn to start building on your properties once you own a full-colour set, but this isn’t true. Amber stated: “You can build houses and hotels at any point during your turn or between other players’ turns. You can’t, however, build houses on one of your properties if a player has already landed on it.”

You must evenly space out your houses

Once you own all the properties in a colour group it’s time to start building houses and hotels, but the official rules state you must do this evenly. That means you can’t buy four houses for one property and none for the others in the colour group. Instead, you must purchase one house at a time for each property and build it up from there.

The game only ends when only one player is not bankrupt

Monopoly games can last a long time, and it could be tempting to call an end to the game once one person declares bankruptcy. That isn’t the right way to play the game, though, as you should continue until there is only one player left who isn’t bankrupt.