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22nd Dec 2021

People are losing their shit over this little-known Monopoly rule

Steve Hopkins

This hack is a gamechanger

Monopoly has been a family favourite since its inception in the 1930s,

Revered the world over for its ability to both elevate boredom and absolutely obliterate relationships.

While many a family has dusted off the board game when there’s nothing left to watch on the telly, many have quickly regretted it – when someone has stormed off or upended the board in a fit of rage.

The game seldom disappoints for the drama it creates. Just like in real life, some have all the luck of the dice and live a lovely life, accruing houses and hotels and fat stacks of cash with every move. For others, it’s never-ending bills, and sometimes even, jail.

And the winners… they often get worse as the game goes on, the good fortune turning them into greedy ghouls, hellbent on making their loved ones broke and homeless.

So, now that you’re excited to play, here’s a little hack that might just change the game in your favour.

One of the more frustrating Monopoly moments occurs when you eye up a property, only to see someone else land on it first.

But, as one social media user pointed out a few years back, there’s a sweet hack.

There’s a lesser-known rule that comes into play on property.

The user is indeed right.

According to the rulebook: “If the player lands on an unowned property, whether street, railroad, or utility, they can buy the property for its listed purchase price. If they decline this purchase, the property is auctioned off by the bank to the highest bidder, including the player who declined to buy.”

You’re welcome!

Go forth and add another argument to this year’s game.

Monopoly was first patented on 31 December 1935, though the rules of the game were said to have been invented in Washington DC in 1903 by Elizabeth Magie, The Guardian reported.

The winner-take-all board game has been translated into 37 languages and evolved into over  200 licensed and localised editions for 103 countries across the world.

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