In Monopoly, 2 to 6 players take turns rolling two dice, moving around the board and buying properties. You collect rent from anyone who lands on your property, build houses and hotels to raise the rent, and try to make every other player go bankrupt. Each player starts with 1,500 and collects 200 every time they pass GO. The last player with money wins.
This guide follows Hasbro’s official rulebook for the classic game (product C1009, 2021 edition). It covers setup, turns, rent, houses and hotels, Jail, Free Parking, mortgages and bankruptcy. It also lists the popular house rules that are not in the official rules, which is why many games drag on for hours.
- Players: 2 to 6, ages 8 and up
- Starting money: 1,500 each
- Passing or landing on GO: collect 200
- Free Parking: nothing happens (no cash prize in the official rules)
- Unwanted property: always goes to auction
- Goal: be the last player who is not bankrupt
The current rulebook shows money with an “M” symbol. Your edition may use dollars, pounds or another currency. The amounts in this guide come from the classic rulebook; special and themed editions can differ.
How to set up Monopoly
- Choose a Banker. The Banker looks after the Bank’s money, the houses, hotels, Title Deed cards and auctions. The Banker can also play, but must keep their own money separate.
- Shuffle the cards. Place the Chance and Community Chest cards face down on their spaces.
- Pick tokens. Each player puts a token on GO.
- Hand out the money. The Banker gives each player 1,500.
- Decide who starts. Everyone rolls both dice. The highest roll goes first, and play moves to the left.
| Note | How many each player gets | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 500 | 2 | 1,000 |
| 100 | 4 | 400 |
| 50 | 1 | 50 |
| 20 | 1 | 20 |
| 10 | 2 | 20 |
| 5 | 1 | 5 |
| 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Total | 16 notes | 1,500 |
How a turn works
- Roll both dice.
- Move your token clockwise that number of spaces.
- Follow the rule for the space you land on: buy or auction a property, pay rent, take a card, pay a tax and so on.
- Rolled doubles? Roll again and take another turn. But if you roll doubles 3 times in a row, go straight to Jail without finishing your third move.
- Pass the dice to the player on your left.
Buying property and auctions
There are three kinds of property: streets (in colour sets), railroads and utilities. When you land on one that nobody owns, you must either buy it at the price on the board or let it go to auction.
In an auction, the Banker starts bidding at 10, and anyone can raise the bid by as little as 1. Players don’t bid in turn order, and the player who landed on the space can bid too. The highest bidder pays the Bank. If nobody bids, the property stays with the Bank.
How rent works in Monopoly
When you land on someone else’s property, you pay them rent, but only if they ask for it. If the owner doesn’t ask before the next player rolls the dice, you don’t have to pay.
| Property | Rent rule |
|---|---|
| Street | The rent on its Title Deed card |
| Street in a full colour set (no buildings) | Double the basic rent |
| Street with houses or a hotel | The higher rent shown on the card |
| Railroads | 25 for 1, 50 for 2, 100 for 3, 200 for all 4 |
| Utilities | 4 times the dice roll if the owner has 1; 10 times if they have both |
| Mortgaged property | No rent |
Building houses and hotels
You can build once you own every street in a colour set. You don’t have to wait for your turn. Pay the Bank the house price on the Title Deed card and put a house on the street.
- Build evenly. You can’t put a second house on a street until every street in the set has one.
- Up to 4 houses per street. When all streets in the set have 4 houses, you can pay for a hotel, return the 4 houses to the Bank and put the hotel on the street.
- 1 hotel per street, and no houses can be added after it.
- No building on a mortgaged set. If any street in the set is mortgaged, you can’t build there.
- Limited buildings. The game has 32 houses and 12 hotels. If they run out, nobody can buy one until someone sells one back. If several players want the last one, the Banker auctions it.
- Selling back: buildings sell to the Bank for half their cost, evenly across the set. A hotel can be swapped for 4 houses.
Monopoly Jail rules
You go to Jail if you land on the “Go To Jail” space, draw a card that sends you there, or roll doubles three times in a row. Move straight to the In Jail space, do not collect 200 for passing GO, and your turn ends. If you simply land on the Jail corner by normal movement, you are “Just Visiting” and nothing happens.
There are three ways out of Jail:
- Pay 50 at the start of your next turn, then roll and move as normal.
- Use a Get Out of Jail Free card (or buy one from another player), then roll and move.
- Roll doubles. You can try on each of your next 3 turns. If you roll doubles, move that number of spaces and your turn ends. If you fail on your third try, pay 50 and move with that last roll.
Jail doesn’t stop you playing the game. While you’re in Jail you can still collect rent, bid in auctions, buy houses and hotels, mortgage property and make trades.
Free Parking, GO and the tax spaces
- GO: collect 200 when you pass or land on it. You don’t get extra for landing exactly on GO.
- Free Parking: nothing happens. The rulebook’s own tip says never put cash in the centre of the board.
- Income Tax and Luxury Tax: pay the Bank the amount shown on the space (200 and 100 on the classic board).
- Chance and Community Chest: take the top card, do what it says, then put it at the bottom of the pile.
Mortgages, trades and bankruptcy
- Mortgage: sell any buildings in the colour set first, then turn the Title Deed face down and collect its mortgage value from the Bank. To unmortgage it, pay the mortgage value plus 10%.
- Trades: you can buy, sell or swap property with other players at any time, for cash, property or Get Out of Jail Free cards. You can’t trade buildings; sell them to the Bank first.
- Buying a mortgaged property: the new owner must either pay off the mortgage straight away, or pay the Bank 10% now and keep the mortgage.
- Bankruptcy: if you can’t pay what you owe, even after selling buildings and mortgaging, you are out. If you owe a player, they get all your (mortgaged) property and any Get Out of Jail Free cards. If you owe the Bank, your property is auctioned. The last player left wins.
House rules that are not official
Many families play with extra rules that make the game much longer. The official rulebook’s “Top tips” say to skip house rules to keep the game short. These are the most common ones that are not in the rules:
- Money on Free Parking. Putting tax money or fines in the middle for whoever lands on Free Parking. Officially, nothing happens there.
- No auctions. Leaving unbought property with the Bank. Officially, it must be auctioned, which spreads property around faster.
- Double money on GO. Collecting 400 for landing exactly on GO. Officially, it’s 200 whether you pass or land.
- Loans and rent-free deals. The rulebook’s tips say never lend money to other players or agree not to charge each other rent.
Looking for more games? See our board games with money, the full UNO rules, and how to read chess notation.
Frequently asked questions
How much money does each player start with in Monopoly?
1,500. In the 2021 rulebook that is two 500s, four 100s, one 50, one 20, two 10s, one 5 and five 1s.
Do you get money for landing on Free Parking?
No. In the official rules nothing happens on Free Parking. Collecting a cash pile there is a house rule.
Can you collect rent while in Jail?
Yes. In Jail you can still collect rent, bid in auctions, build, mortgage and trade.
What happens if you land exactly on GO?
You collect 200, the same as when you pass it. Getting 400 for landing on GO is a house rule.
How do you get out of Jail in Monopoly?
Pay 50, use a Get Out of Jail Free card, or roll doubles within your next 3 turns. If you fail on the third try, pay 50 and move.
Can you build houses when it is not your turn?
Yes. Once you own a full colour set, you can buy houses at any time; you don’t have to wait for your turn.
How many houses do you need before a hotel?
Four houses on every street in the colour set. Then pay the hotel price and return the 4 houses on that street to the Bank.
What happens if you don’t want to buy a property?
It must go to auction. Bidding starts at 10 and anyone can bid, including you. If nobody bids, it stays with the Bank.
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