How to win at Monopoly every single time…
Let’s do it 🙂
Table of Contents
Monopoly Background
Created in 1935, Monopoly has been translated into more than three dozen languages, and has 200 licensed and localized editions for more than 100 countries.
Many around the world play, but few know the tricks to win every time.
This article will tell you everything you need to know about how to win at Monopoly.
How to Win at Monopoly (or Never Lose)
1. Buy Everything (at first)
Many people are choosy about which properties they buy.
It’s true that some properties are better than others, but when the game begins you want to buy everything as it pays to convert cash to property.
At the beginning of the game, property is king.
Two things in the game give you leverage: money and property.
Toward the end-game and everybody is fully invested, cash is king. Those who know how to play the game best, know how to hold the right balance of each as the game goes on. This is not unlike real-life investing and Monopoly provides a useful proxy to the financial markets.
Don’t look at buying properties as losing money, look at them as gaining leverage.
Plus, you need a winning strategy for these properties, which we’ll cover below.
2. Understand Jail
The most occupied square is the jail.
This is because there are four ways to get there:
- Chance
- Community Chest
- Three Doubles (i.e., dice rolls)
- or just landing on it
No other squares have the same number of ways to get you to it.
This matters because it helps you when deciding which properties to Monopolize.
3. Monopolize Carefully
Just because you’re buying everything that doesn’t mean you should try to monopolize everything.
If people are going to jail often, it makes sense to monopolize the properties people will likely land on after leaving jail.
- Pink
- Orange
- Red
Of these properties, which ones are you most likely to land on?
When rolling two six-sided dice there is only one way to make two: one and one.
However, there are 6 ways to roll a seven: 6 and 1, 1 and 6, 5 and 2, 2 and 5, 4 and 3, and 3 and 4.
When it comes to rolling your chances of rolling:
- 2, 3, 4, and 12 are low
- 5,6, 10, and 11 are medium
- 7,8, and 9 are high
From jail rolling a 7 lands you on Community Chest.
But 6, 8, and 9 are orange.
Anyone leaving jail has a 35% chance of landing on orange.
After orange your next best property to buy is red and it gives a better ROI than purple.
They’re further along the board and thus higher value. Purple is less further along the circuit. Orange strikes the right balance between odds of opponents landing on it and value.
Many have already picked this up intuitively.
Keep in mind with pink, if someone is in jail the only shot they have for landing on your property is if they roll a 3 or 4… that’s it!
You have an 8.3% chance of rolling a 3 and an 11% chance of rolling a 4.
Don’t take those chances…plus if they overshoot orange they’ll land on free parking or red.
Plus on the entire board, the single most landed on property on a classic Monopoly board is Illinois Avenue (Red). This space has a 3.19% chance of being landed on in any given turn. The average for all spaces is 2.86%.
When Monoplizing properties based on probability buy them in this order:
- Orange 8.8%
- Red 8.7%
- Yellow 7.9%
- Green 7.8%
- Pink 7.5%
- Light Blue 6.8%
- Dark Blue 4.8%
- Brown 4.2%
Fight to get orange, but if you can’t then get red, and if you can’t go for yellow and so on.
4. Mortgage
Let’s say everything goes as planned and you get orange (woohoo).
Now you’re going to do something unique.
Mortgage all of your properties and take all of your cash and buy as many houses as you can.
The good thing about these properties is they’re only $100 each.
Depending on how far along you are, you might be able to place 2 or 3 houses on each.
With 3 houses on each, you’ll make $550 or $600 from anyone who lands on your properties.
When someone lands on your property don’t use the money to unmortgage anything, double down on your investment and buy more houses.
It only takes $1500 to get hotels and at that point, you’re making $950 – $1000 per person.
Once you have hotels, then unmortgage everything and target the next highest ROI color, red.
It doesn’t matter which property you buy, you can use this same tactic.
5. Focus On Buying Houses
Houses are the best thing you can buy in the game.
You buy them for X amount and sell them for X amount.
Properties, you buy them for X amount and mortgage them for less.
Every time you pass Go use the money to buy more houses on your color sets.
There is no need to “save” the money because if you need quick cash you can sell a house and get what you paid for it.
Some will save money “just in case they need it” instead of buying a house.
Don’t do this. Buy the houses so you can get the most money you can every time someone lands.
6. Utilities
The Monopoly utilities aren’t a good purchase as the chance of landing on them is relatively low.
Moreover, your opponents will need to land on them at least five times before you make a return on your investment.
7. Railroads
These are good to buy! If you can manage to get all four then you have a chance of making $200 on every side of the board.
You want all 4 but some are better than others.
Here is the probability of landing on each:
- B&O Railroad 3.06%
- Reading Railroad 2.96%
- Pennsylvania 2.92%
- Shortline 2.4%
Keep in mind the average for all spaces is 2.86%
Prioritize them over: Brown, Light Blue, and Utilities
8. Only Focus on What You Can Control
Since you’re rolling dice there are many things you can’t control.
There will be times that you…
Have to make general repairs.
Ended up in jail 2 or 3 times in a row.
Land on income tax every time you go around the board.
All of these things aren’t fun but don’t let them take you off your mission. Just like real-life.
You have the numbers, you know which properties to buy and how to buy them, use that to your advantage.
If you can’t get the oranges, that’s okay, just go for the reds.
Focus on what you can control and don’t let the randomness of the game throw you off.
How to Win Monopoly Every Time – Advanced
Monopoly – FAQs
What is the most money you can have in Monopoly?
The max amount of money you can have in Monopoly is $20,580.
What do the red squares on a Monopoly board mean?
The red squares indicate properties that are part of a color group.
In order to build houses and hotels on these properties, all properties in the group must be owned by the same player.
How many players does it take to play Monopoly?
Monopoly can be played with two to eight players.
What happens if you land on Go To Jail in Monopoly?
If you land on the Go To Jail space, you must move your token directly to the Jail space and your turn ends.
You cannot collect $200 for passing Go.
If you roll doubles three times in a row, on the third throw, you must go to jail even if you do not land on the space.
You do not get out of jail by rolling doubles; you must use a Get Out of Jail Free card or pay the $50 fine.
How much money does each player start with in Monopoly?
Players start with $1,500 in Monopoly.
Each player is given $500 in cash divided as follows: two $100 bills, two $50 bills, six $20 bills, five $10 bills, five $5 bills, and five $1 bills.
In addition, each player receives two Get Out of Jail Free cards. Finally, each player gets a Monopoly card, which indicates the order in which players will take their turns.
What are the rules for Monopoly?
The basic idea of Monopoly is that players roll two dice and move around the board, buying and trading properties as they go.
If they land on a space owned by another player, they must pay rent; if they land on an unowned space, they can choose to buy it or auction it off.
The game ends when one player goes bankrupt. The winner is the player with the most money.
The official rules of Monopoly are published by Hasbro, the company that manufactures the game.
These rules are available online and in the instruction booklet that comes with the game.
How do you win Monopoly?
The goal of Monopoly is to become the richest player by buying, selling, and trading property.
Players can also increase their wealth by collecting rent from other players who land on their spaces.
The game ends when one player goes bankrupt, and the winner is the player with the most money.
What are some Monopoly strategy tips?
Here are a few Monopoly strategy tips:
1. Buy properties as soon as you can. The sooner you own a property, the sooner you can start building houses and hotels and collecting rent.
2. Develop a plan for which properties you want to buy. Decide whether you want to focus on building a monopoly of one color group or buying all the properties in a particular section of the board.
3. Don’t be afraid to trade properties with other players. Trading can be a good way to get the properties you want without having to spend all your money on them.
4. Be aggressive when it comes to collecting rent. If another player owes you rent, don’t be afraid to demand it. Remember, the goal of the game is to become the richest player, so don’t let other players take advantage of you.
5. Keep an eye on the cash flow. Make sure you have enough money to pay rent and buy properties when they come up for sale.
6. Save your money for a rainy day. You never know when another player will try to bankrupt you, so it’s important to have some money set aside in case of an emergency.
7. Don’t be afraid to use your Get Out of Jail Free cards. These cards can be a lifesaver if you find yourself in jail with no way to get out.
8. Pay attention to the game board. The game board can give you clues about which properties are going to be valuable and which ones aren’t worth your time.
9. Don’t get too attached to any one property. The goal of the game is to make money, not to keep your favorite property. If another player offers you a good deal on a property, don’t be afraid to take it.
10. Have fun! Monopoly is a game, so remember to enjoy yourself.
More Monopoly Tips
The following tips will help you win more games of Monopoly that expands off those listed in the FAQ section:
1. Buy Properties as Soon as You Can
The sooner you own a property, the sooner you can start building houses and hotels and collecting rent from other players.
So if you see a property that you want, don’t hesitate to buy it.
2. Develop a Plan for Which Properties You Want to Buy
Before you start buying properties willy-nilly, it’s a good idea to develop a plan for which properties you want to focus on.
Do you want to try to build a monopoly of one color group? Or do you want to focus on buying all the properties in a particular section of the board?
Deciding on a strategy ahead of time will help you stay focused and avoid wasting money on properties that you don’t really want.
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Trade Properties With Other Players
Trading is a great way to get the properties you want without having to spend all your money on them.
So if another player has a property that you want, don’t be afraid to make an offer. They might just take you up on it.
4. Be Aggressive When It Comes to Collecting Rent
If another player owes you rent, don’t let them off the hook. Be aggressive and demand that they pay up.
Remember, the goal of the game is to become the richest player, so you shouldn’t let other players take advantage of you.
5. Keep an Eye on the Cash Flow
Make sure you always have enough money on hand to pay rent and buy properties when they come up for sale.
Keeping track of the cash flow will help you avoid going bankrupt.
6. Save Your Money for a Rainy Day
You never know when another player will try to bankrupt you, so it’s important to have some money set aside in case of an emergency.
Having a cash reserve will help you stay afloat if another player tries to take everything you’ve got.
As we mentioned earlier, houses are effectively like cash.
7. Don’t Be Afraid to Use Your Get Out of Jail Free Cards
If you find yourself in jail with no way to get out, these cards can be a lifesaver.
So don’t be afraid to use them if you need to.
8. Pay Attention to the Game Board
The game board can give you clues about which properties are going to be valuable and which ones aren’t worth your time.
So take a look at it every now and then and see if there are any properties that you might want to buy.
9. Don’t Get Too Attached to Any One Property
Remember, the goal of the game is to make money, not to keep your favorite property.
So if another player offers you a good deal on a property, don’t be afraid to take it.
10. Have Fun!
Monopoly is a game, so remember to enjoy yourself.
Winning isn’t everything, so just relax and have fun.
How to Win Monopoly Every Time
Conclusion – How to Win at Monopoly and Never Lose a Game of Monopoly Again
You’re now set to win!
Long gone are the days of being beaten by your kids.
Now you’ll be able to approach the game with confidence and dominate.
What are you doing this weekend?
Better be winning at Monopoly and win at Monopoly every time.
