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13 facts about Monopoly that will surprise you
Whether Monopoly is a game you love or a game you dread, there's no denying its popularity. Since its introduction to the market in 1935, over 250 million Monopoly games have been sold, and the game has been played by more than 1 billion people worldwide. One of the most popular board games in history, Monopoly was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998.
But even if you think you're an expert, there are some little-known facts about Monopoly that may surprise you.
The first version of the game was created by a woman.
Long before Charles Darrow sold his game to Parker Brothers, a woman named Lizzie Magie acquired a patent in 1904 for a Landlord's Game which was similar to the Monopoly game we know today. In Magie's game, players moved around a board buying properties and paying rent. Sound familiar? Years later, in 1933, Charles Darrow would make a few tweaks to Magie's idea and eventually sell the game to Parker Brothers in 1935.
Parker Brothers initially turned the game down.
The game was rejected by Parker Brothers on Charles Darrow's first attempt to sell, due to 52 fundamental errors such as the length and complexity of the game. Fortunately for all of us, they changed their mind in 1935.
The Monopoly Man was inspired by a real tycoon.
It's been said that the Monopoly Man was inspired by J.P. Morgan, a powerful banker who helped finance the construction of railroads and organized several major corporations including General Electric.
The board pieces were inspired by the creator’s niece.
The original board pieces were inspired by Charles Darrow's niece and were created to resemble figures on her charm bracelet.
There isn't that much money in the bank.
Although putting a hotel on Boardwalk can make you feel like a millionaire, the total bank is really only $20,580.
Monopoly is a worldwide sensation.
Although the game is based on real-life places in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Monopoly is truly an international phenomenon. The game has been sold in 114 countries and translated into 47 languages.
There are lots of different versions of the game on the market.
Over 300 different versions of Monopoly have been created, including "Star Wars," Pokemon, and "Game of Thrones."
The longest game lasted more than two months.
If you've ever played a game of Monopoly, you know it can take a while to determine a winner. A typical game should last around 60 to 90 minutes. But the longest game on record lasted 70 straight days.
Others will cost a whole lot more.
The most expensive Monopoly set in the world was created by San Francisco jeweler, Sidney Mobell. It cost $2 million.
You’ll probably go to jail.
The top three most landed on spaces in a traditional game are Jail, Illinois Ave., and Go.
But going to jail is good.
Jail may seem like the worst place to be during a game of Monopoly, but being locked up could be a winning strategy. According to Natalie Fitzsimons, 2015 UK Monopoly champion, at the end of the game, it's best to sit in jail and collect money from your opponents rather than land on their properties and end up owing money.
Monopoly helped POWs escape during WWII.
During World War II, British secret service reportedly used Monopoly boxes to smuggle escape supplies to POWs in Germany. The boxes contained metal files and real money. They also used silk escape maps because they made less noise than paper.
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