How to Play the Monopoly Board Game (With Winning Strategies)

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Board game expert Ashton Wu discusses his favorite house rules in Monopoly (and rules that are often forgotten)

Co-authored by Ashton Wu and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: February 28, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Setup
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• Rules
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• Ending the Game
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• Winning Strategies
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• House Rules
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• Other Monopoly Versions
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• Making It Fun
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• Strategy Guide PDF
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• Video
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• Expert Interview
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• Expert Q&A
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• Tips

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ARTICLE

VIDEO

Monopoly is a popular choice for your game nights, even if it’s infamous for starting fights and taking a long time. While you may be used to house rules from the last time you played, the game’s official rules make it a lot more fun and a lot faster. Whether it’s your first game or just need a refresher on the actual rules, we’ll walk you through setting up your game and give you advice on strategies to help you win, with help from board game experts Ashton Wu and Our Family Plays Games.

Monopoly Rules: Quick Overview

The goal of Monopoly is to bankrupt other players before you run out of money. On your turn, roll the dice and move that many spaces. Buy properties and build houses if you own a color set. Pay rent if you land on someone else’s property. When only 1 player is left with money, they win the game!

Steps

Section 1 of 6:

Monopoly Setup

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1. 
   1
   Set out the board, Chance cards, and Community Chest cards. Take your game of Monopoly out of the box and lay the board on a flat surface so everyone can reach it. Shuffle the Community Chest and Chance cards and set the decks in the marked spaces in the middle of the board.

   • Chance cards are orange and have a question mark printed on the back.
   • Community Chest cards are blue and have a treasure chest icon on the back.

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Ashton Wu is a board game expert at Shelfside, which is the name of his YouTube channel. Shelfside is a gaming resource that puts out content like game reviews and tutorials. It has over 45K subscribers and over 4 million views.

   Our Family Plays Games is a family-owned business based in Omaha, Nebraska. Their goal is to promote growth and awareness of the modern board game hobby and bring more BIPOCs and families into the community.
2. 
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   Have each player choose a token and place it on Go. You can usually play Monopoly with 2-6 people, but it depends on the version of the game you own. All of the game pieces are unique, so take turns to choose the piece you want the most. Set your piece on the space marked GO in the corner of the board.

   • Monopoly is recommended for players who are 8 or older because of the math and strategy involved with the game.
   • The piece you choose doesn’t affect the game in any way, so just pick whichever one is your favorite.
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3. 
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   Choose a banker to hand $1,500 to each player. Nominate a player to act as the banker for the entire game. The banker is in charge of handing out money, properties, and houses, but they can still play the game like normal. The banker gives each player the following bills to start the game:

   • $500 (2)
   • $100 (4)
   • $50 (1)
   • $20 (1)
   • $10 (2)
   • $5 (1)
   • $1 (5)
4. 
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   Take turns rolling the dice to choose the first player. Have each person take the dice and roll them. Whoever rolls the highest number takes the first turn of the game. Then, play continues clockwise for the rest of the game.

   • Alternatively, have the youngest or newest player go first.
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Section 2 of 6:

Monopoly Game Rules

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1. 
   1
   Roll the dice and move your game piece. When it’s your turn, take both dice and roll them onto the game board. Move your piece clockwise around the board that number of spaces. Check what space you landed on and resolve its effect.

   • If you roll doubles, take another turn immediately after resolving the first space you landed on.
   • We’ll cover the different spaces in more detail in the following steps, but the actions at a glance are:
     • Properties, Utilities, or Railroads: Buy, auction, or pay rent
     • Taxes: Pay the listed amount to the bank
     • Community Chest or Chance: Draw a card from the matching deck
     • Free Parking: Do nothing
     • Just Visiting: Do nothing
     • Go to Jail: Put your piece in the Jail space
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   Buy unowned properties you land on if you want them. If you’re the first person to land on a colored property, Railroad, or Utilities, check the printed value listed on the space. Pay the bank the amount listed to get the title deed card for the property. Keep the title deeds in front of you so other players can see them.

   • Try to collect all of the properties that have the same color. When you own all the properties of one color set, it becomes a monopoly.
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   Start an auction if you choose not to buy a property. Wu says this is a rule that players often forget. If you don’t buy the property, the banker immediately starts the auction. The bidding starts at $10, and anyone can increase the bid by at least $1. You do not have to go in turn order, so anyone can raise the bid at any time. Whoever offers the highest price pays the bank and gets the title deed card for the property.

   • Auctions are part of the official rules, but many people forget them when they play. Auctioning off properties actually helps speed up the game and makes it more competitive.
   • If no one wants to buy the property during the auction, then it’s still available to buy when the next person lands on the space.
4. 
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   Pay rent if you stop on an owned property. If someone has already bought the property you land on, you owe them rent. Pay that player the amount of rent listed on the title deed card. If a player owns all the properties of the same color, the rent price is doubled. Each property has a different rent price, and they get more expensive the further you move along the board.

   • For Railroads, the rent price increases for each additional Railroad you own.
   • For Utilities, roll the dice. If the player owns 1 Utility, then the rent is the dice roll × 4. If the player owns both Utilities, the rent is the dice roll × 10.
   • If you land on a property you own, you get to stay there for free. That also means if someone lands on a space you own, you get to collect rent from them!
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   Build houses and hotels once you own all properties in a color set. Wu says a lucrative Monopoly strategy is to focus on getting 3 houses on a color set ASAP. Owning all the properties of one color is called a “monopoly,” and it gives you the option to add buildings to raise the rent price. Pay the price listed on the title deed, and put a house on the colored stripe. Each property can only hold up to 4 houses.

   • You can only build a hotel after you put 4 houses on a property. Pay the price listed on the title deed card. Then, return the 4 houses to the supply and put a hotel on the space.
     • You’re only allowed 1 hotel per property.
   • You have to build on your properties evenly, meaning you can’t build a second house on a property until you’ve built a house on the other properties in the set.
   • If there are no more houses or hotels left in the supply, then you can’t build one until they become available again.
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   Draw a Chance or Community Chest card if you land on their spaces. There are 3 Chance and 3 Community Chest spaces on the board. Take the top card off of the corresponding deck and read it out loud. These cards have a variety of effects that could cause you to earn or lose money, move around the board, or even send you to Jail.

   • Each deck also has one “Get out of Jail Free” card. If you draw this card, keep it in front of you until you use or sell it.
   • After resolving the card’s effect, put it at the bottom of the deck.
7. 
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   Pay the bank when you land on a Tax space. The board has 1 Luxury Tax and 1 Income Tax space that force you to pay money when you land on them. Take the listed amount from your personal supply and return it to the bank.
8. 
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   Do nothing if you land on Free Parking. While there are some house rules that say you collect money for landing on Free Parking, the official rules state nothing happens when you land on the space. You’re safe for your turn, and don’t have to pay any rent.
9. 
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   Earn $200 when you pass Go. Any time you make it all the way around the board and pass the Go space, immediately collect $200 from the bank. Wu says players often forget to do this. While some alternate rules say you earn extra for landing directly on the Go space, the official rules state you still only collect $200.
10. 
    10
    Go to Jail when you’re instructed to. Going to Jail stops you from moving around the board during your turn, but you’re still able to collect rent, participate in auctions, and make trades with other players. You’re immediately sent to Jail if you land on the “Go to Jail” space, if a Community Chest or Chance card instructs you, or if you roll 3 doubles in a row.

    • You can get out of jail at the start of your turn by paying $50 bail, using a “Get out of Jail Free” card, or by rolling doubles with the dice.
      • If you start your turn in Jail, roll the dice. If you get doubles, move forward and then end your turn. If you aren’t able to roll doubles by your third turn in Jail, you must pay $50 and move your piece.
11. 
    11
    Mortgage properties if you need more money. If you owe money to the bank or another player, mortgaging your properties gives you some extra cash. First, sell all the buildings from the matching color set for half of their cost. To mortgage the property, flip it upside down and take the listed mortgage value from the bank.

    • To repay a mortgage, pay the mortgage value of the property plus an additional 10%. So if the mortgage cost was $100, you would pay $110. Then, flip the card face-up again.
    • Mortgaged properties don’t charge rent, so players can safely land on them without paying.
      • Other properties in the same color set still charge doubled rent if the player has a monopoly.
12. 
    12
    Make trades with players whenever you’d like. Wu says allowing players to trade properties for cash/other properties is one of Monopoly’s more exciting house rules. At any point during the game, you can negotiate deals with other players to buy, sell, or swap the properties that you own. You can make trades for other properties, cash, or “Get out of Jail free” cards.

    • Houses and hotels cannot be sold or traded. If you want to sell or trade a property, you must sell all the buildings from that color set first.
    • If you get a mortgaged property in a trade, you must immediately repay the mortgage to flip it face-up or pay 10% of the mortgage value to keep it face-down.
13. 
    13
    Go bankrupt and lose the game if you run out of cash. If you owe more money to the bank or a player, and you still don’t have enough after mortgaging properties, then you’re out of the game. If you owed another player, give them all your mortgaged properties and “Get out of Jail Free” cards if you have any.

    • If you owe the bank, the mortgaged properties immediately go up for auction for the remaining players.
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Section 3 of 6:

How to Win Monopoly

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1. 
   Win the game if you’re the last player with money. When a player goes bankrupt, they’re out of the game, but everyone else keeps playing. When there’s only one person left who has any money, they’re the winner!

   • Monopoly games can be notoriously long, but playing with all the official rules will keep the game moving quickly.

Section 4 of 6:

Winning Strategies for Monopoly

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1. 
   1
   Buy as many properties as possible. Wu suggests buying all the properties you land on early in the game. No matter how cheap or expensive properties are, try to buy them up as quickly as you can. If you don’t want to pay the full price, let them go to auction and outbid the other players.

   • Our Family Plays Games agrees that trying to bankrupt your opponents is important before they do the same to you. By owning more properties, you have more chances to charge rent and build buildings.
   • The best properties to own are the Orange and Red sets because players are most likely to land on them when they leave Jail.
   • Even if you don’t want a property, you can always offer it as part of a trade with another player later on.
2. 
   2
   Get Railroads, but avoid Utilities. The 4 Railroads are right in the middle of each side of the board, so there’s always a good chance of landing on them. The rent also increases a lot if you own multiple Railroads, so they’re worth the investment.

   • Since there are only 2 Utility spaces, it’s less likely for a player to land on one. The rent charge is also based on a dice roll, so you may not collect a consistent amount.
   • Wu says one exciting rule you can try is allowing players to jump around the board using Railroads. Basically, this allows a player who lands on a railroad to immediately move their token to any other railroad owned by the same player.
3. 
   3
   Mortgage less valuable properties to get more cash. If you want to build or buy something but you’re low on cash, choose your least valuable property to mortgage. Even though you won’t collect rent on the property, you might be able to repay the mortgage from the increased rent you collect from a different property.

   • Wu recommends mortgaging your less useful properties so you can afford to put houses on your more lucrative properties.
   • Even though they’re far along the board, the Green set is one of the least valuable because they’re right after the Go to Jail space.
4. 
   4
   Load your properties with houses to stop players from building. There are only a limited number of houses in the game, so no one else can build if they’re all on the board. As soon as you get a monopoly, add houses to the properties and leave them there for as long as you can. Houses increase the rent too, so it can bankrupt other players and help you win the game.

   • Even if you’re able to upgrade to a hotel, hold onto the houses if other people are trying to build.
5. 
   5
   Stay in Jail during the late game. During the early game, try to get out of Jail as fast as possible so you can buy the properties around the board. Once all the properties have been bought, then wait on that space and just try to roll doubles at the start of your turn. You still get to collect rent and buy in auctions, but you won’t have to move around the board or pay rent.
6. 
   6
   Keep your money stacked in a single pile. Even though you have to keep your money out for everyone to see, using a single pile makes it harder for players to tell how much you have. That way, it’s a little more discreet how much money you have and players may be more willing to make deals with you.
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Section 5 of 6:

Popular Monopoly House Rules

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1. 
   1
   Change the starting money for a shorter or longer game. If you want a shorter game where players go bankrupt faster, only deal out $1,000 to each player to start. For a slightly longer game, start out with $2,000 instead.
2. 
   2
   Deal out properties instead of buying them. If you don't want to spend time buying properties, shuffle the title deed cards and deal them out one at a time to the players. Now that everyone has starting properties, you can charge rent and start making deals on your first turn.
3. 
   3
   Double your salary if you land on Go. Wu says this is a fun house rule in Monopoly. Rather than only collecting $200, take $400 from the bank instead if your piece lands exactly on the Go space.

   • This house rule makes the game longer because players can earn more money.
4. 
   4
   Collect tax money when you land on Free Parking. Whenever you have to pay money for a Tax space, Community Chest card, or Chance card, put the money in the center of the board. If someone lands on the Free Parking space, they collect all the money from the middle of the board.

   • Games with this house rule can make your game a lot longer because it can provide someone who’s almost bankrupt with a lot of cash.
5. 
   5
   Limit collecting rent for players in Jail. If a player goes to Jail, this house rule prevents them from collecting rent or participating in any deals and auctions. If they want to still earn money or gain properties, they have to pay $50 bail, roll doubles, or use a “Get out of Jail Free” card.
6. 
   6
   Finish the game after one player goes bankrupt. When one person loses all their money and properties, the game ends immediately. Anyone who’s still left in the game counts up the value of their money and their properties, and whoever has the most wins!
7. 
   7
   Set a time limit for the game. If you’re worried about your Monopoly game going on for a long time, set a timer for 1 or 2 hours. If you’re still in the middle of your game when the timer goes off, whoever has the most money and highest value in properties wins the game.
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Section 6 of 6:

Rules for Other Versions of Monopoly

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1. The rules may vary slightly depending on your version of the game. Since its original release, different versions of Monopoly have introduced new ways to play. While a lot of the core rules stay the same, they have slight variations to keep in mind during the game. Always check the rulebook for changes, or follow our rules guides for these versions:

   • Monopoly: Electronic Banking
   • Monopoly Empire
   • Monopoly Junior
   • Monopoly Deal

Monopoly Strategy Guide

Monopoly Strategy Sheet

What Are Ways To Make Monopoly More Fun?

Expert Q&A

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• Question

  Is there a faster way to play Monopoly?

  

  Our Family Plays Games
  Board Game Experts

  Our Family Plays Games, LLC is a family-owned business based in Omaha, Nebraska. Launched in 2018, their mission is to promote growth and awareness of the modern board game hobby and bring more BIPOCs and families into the board game community. In June 2020 they were featured on Good Morning America and have since been featured on NBC News Online, Senet Magazine (UK), Ligadas.com (Brazil), a variety of YouTube programs, podcasts, and on local television. In January of 2022, they launched a second program on their channel, called OFPG Voices to highlight other underrepresented voices in the hobby. In addition, they make special appearances at board game conventions all around the country and work with board game publishers from around the world.

  

  Our Family Plays Games

  Board Game Experts

  Expert Answer

  Playing Monopoly at a faster pace hinges on the preferences and speed of your fellow players. If they are inclined to move quickly, the game will naturally progress faster. Conversely, if participants take their time and engage in thorough analysis and paralysis when making decisions, the game may proceed more slowly. Playing by yourself could potentially expedite the game, but when playing with others, the speed is determined by their playing style and preferences.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
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  Not Helpful 11 Helpful 18
• Question

  How many hotels can I put on one property?

  

  Donagan

  Top Answerer

  The official rule is one hotel per property.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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• Question

  What do I do if no one is winning the game?

  

  Community Answer

  Many professional competitions play until there is a winner, but you can quit at any time. The winner would be the person with the most cash and property, as determined by the "Property Worth" on the back of each property card.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
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Tips

• Wu says Monopoly’s “speed die” option is an exciting way to speed up the game. The speed die is an optional die rolled alongside the standard two that has been included in certain editions since 2006. However, its inclusion across editions is inconsistent (so your edition may not have it).
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• Try making house rules for a fun twist on a classic game.
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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

• Use the "speed die" for quicker games. Rolling it with the normal dice, you can move faster by adding 1-3 to your roll total. The bus and Mr. Monopoly symbols give you special move options too. It's great when you're pressed for time!
• If several players want the same property in an auction, consider banding together with another player to outbid the others. You can split the property and reap higher collective rents.
• Schedule regular breaks when playing, since games go on for a long time. Give everyone turns as banker to keep it interesting, and feel free to stop and resume the game later if needed.
• Before building extensively, make sure you have enough cash reserves to weather landing on expensive properties yourself. Don't overextend your funds.
• For time-crunched games, players can team up into pairs that strategize together and share turns and pieces. This cuts down on play time.
• Stick to 2-8 players and keep young kids away from the board to avoid disrupted games. Break large groups into separate games if needed.

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