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Time: The Monopoly Story Have you ever heard of “The Landlord’s Game?” Maybe not. But it turned into America’s most famous board game with a name you’ll certainly know: “Monopoly”. Play makers
Yet Magie made a number of copies by hand and sold them. The game was played on college campuses, including by students at Harvard and Princeton. The game gradually changed, and by the mid-1920’s it was called “Monopoly.” In 1936, a man named Charles Darrow finally persuaded Parker Brothers to buy his version of the game. In order to become full legal owners of “Monopoly”, Parker Brothers had to make deals with Magie, Darrow, and several others who had produced similar games. However, the company definitely made the right decision: Monopoly became a huge success in the United States and around the world. And it’s still a big hit—more than 200 million Monopoly sets have been sold worldwide. More on Monopoly The property names on a Monopoly board come from Atlantic City, New Jersey. But some of the names are mistakes! For example, Marvin Gardens should be spelled Marven Gardens. Also, the B+O Railroad never stopped in Atlantic City, and the Short Line was a bus company—not a railroad. For some, the game has become a competitive sport. Every three years, a tournament is held to determine the United States Monopoly champion. At the start, players compete in a series of three 90-minute games. At the end of each game, every player’s assets are added up. The final game of the tournament is different. Five top players battle for the title in a winner-takes-all game, which lasts until only one player remains.
And speaking
of Monopoly money: The makers of Monopoly produce twice as much
Monopoly money each year as the United States Mint produces in real
money. Talk about a rich history!
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A
woman named Elizabeth Magie invented “The Landlord’s
Game” about 100 years ago. When Magie tried to sell the game
to Parker Brothers—the company that makes Monopoly today—George
Parker turned the game down. He believed “The Landlord’s
Game” was too educational, and not enough fun.
The
United States champion, and national champions from about 20 other
countries, compete for the title of World Monopoly Champion. The
world tournament is usually held in the United States, because America
is Monopoly’s birthplace. The grand prize may be a $10,000
shopping spree, an all-expense-paid vacation, or a Monopoly set
with real money instead of Monopoly money. How much money comes
with a standard Monopoly set? $15,140!
