Monopoly Game Rules: A Clear, Fast Guide

Objective

Become the wealthiest player by buying, renting, and trading properties. Players who cannot pay what they owe go bankrupt; the last player left who hasn’t gone bankrupt wins.

What’s in the Box

Game board, 2 dice, tokens, Title Deed cards, Chance & Community Chest cards
32 houses, 12 hotels
Money in denominations: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500

Setup

Choose a token; place it on GO.
Bank organizes money, property, houses, hotels, and cards. One player is the Banker (may also play).
Starting cash (classic): 1500 per player (500×2, 100×2, 50×2, 20×6, 10×5, 5×5, 1×5).
Shuffle Chance and Community Chest; place on their spaces.
Each player rolls dice; highest goes first, then clockwise.

Your Turn (in order)

Roll both dice and move clockwise that many spaces.
Resolve the space you land on (buy, pay rent, draw a card, pay tax, go to Jail, etc.).
Double? Roll again after resolving. Three consecutive doubles = go directly to Jail.
Buy/build/trade/mortgage as allowed before ending your turn.

Landing on Properties

Unowned

You may buy at the listed price and take the Title Deed. If you decline, the Banker auctions it to the highest bidder (starting at any price).

Owned

Pay the owner rent shown on the Title Deed. If the owner has a color set without buildings, rent is doubled. Houses/hotels increase rent per the card.

Railroads

Rent increases with the number owned (1, 2, 3, or 4 railroads).

Utilities

If 1 utility owned, rent = 4× dice roll; if both, rent = 10× dice roll (classic rules).

Building Houses & Hotels

You must own all properties in a color set to build.
Build evenly: no property can have more than one house more than any other in the same color.
4 houses on a property may be exchanged for 1 hotel (return the houses to the bank).
Insufficient buildings? You must wait or buy via the bank if/when available.

Mortgages & Unmortgaging

To raise cash, you may mortgage properties you own (no buildings on them). Receive the mortgage value shown on the Title Deed.
To lift a mortgage, pay the mortgage value plus 10% interest.
You cannot collect rent on mortgaged properties.

Trading

On your turn (or by agreement), you may trade cash, properties, and Get Out of Jail Free cards. Buildings must be sold back to the bank (for half price) before trading a property from a color set.

Special Spaces & Cards

GO: Collect 200 when you pass (not when you land, unless you also pass it).
Chance / Community Chest: Draw and follow the card’s instructions; return it to the bottom unless it says otherwise.
Income Tax: Pay the listed amount (usually 200).
Luxury Tax: Pay the listed amount (often 100/75 depending on edition).
Free Parking: No action in classic rules (see House Rules).
Jail (landing): Just visiting—no penalty.
Go to Jail: Move directly to Jail; do not pass GO; do not collect 200.

Jail Rules

You’re in Jail if you: land on “Go to Jail,” roll three doubles in a row, or draw a “Go to Jail” card.

To get out: pay 50 before rolling, use a Get Out of Jail Free card, or roll doubles within three turns.
If you fail to roll doubles by your third turn, pay 50 and move the number of your last roll.
You may still collect rent on your properties while in Jail.

Bankruptcy

If you owe more than you can pay, you must sell buildings (back to the bank at half price) and mortgage properties to raise cash.
If you still can’t pay: you are bankrupt. If you owe a player, transfer all unmortgaged properties and any “Get Out of Jail Free” cards to that player (mortgaged properties transfer with debt per your edition’s rules). If you owe the bank, properties are returned to the bank for auction.

Winning the Game

Play continues until all but one player are bankrupt. For a timed game, stop at the agreed time; the richest player (cash + property values per Title Deeds, less mortgages) wins.

Common House Rules (Optional)

Free Parking Jackpot: Fines/taxes go to a pot that’s collected by landing on Free Parking.
No Auction on Pass: If a player declines to buy, the property remains unowned (speeds down trading, lengthens the game).
Double GO: Collect 400 for landing exactly on GO.

Note: House rules are popular but change balance and game length.

Quick-Start Cheat Sheet

Buy most properties you land on early.
Complete color sets; build houses quickly and evenly.
Orange and red sets offer strong returns in classic boards.
Use mortgages strategically to fund builds and avoid bankruptcy.
Trade for sets; sweeten deals with cash or railroads/utilities.

FAQ

Q: Can I build unevenly? A: No—build evenly across the set.

Q: Do I pay rent while in Jail? A: Yes, if you land on an owned property.

Q: Do I collect 200 if a card sends me past GO? A: Only if the card explicitly says you pass GO.