Christmas is finally here – and that means it's time to dust off the Monopoly board. Board games are a staple part of many family Christmas celebrations, especially if you've run out of things to watch on TV and you need a way to keep the younger kids entertained. One of the most popular games to play at the festive period is the timeless classic, Monopoly. Or at least, it's popular for 10 minutes before everyone starts arguing over who owns what.
Many disagreements families have over the game stem from conflicts over the rules, as you might argue about whether you're allowed to collect payments when you're in jail or if landing on Free Parking nets you all the tax money. However, according to one board game expert, we have these disagreements because none of us are actually following the rules as laid out in the instructions that come with the game.
It comes after one TikTok user revealed a hack to win Monopoly in 60 seconds in a clip which garnered hundreds of likes. But of course, if you want to play the long game then you can really benefit from the correct rules. Amber Crook, Editorial Chief and board games expert at Game Rules, has debunked a number of the "made up" rules many of us use when playing Monopoly so you can hopefully avoid a family fallout this Christmas.
Many families play Monopoly with a rule in place that whenever you pay taxes or fines, you put the money into the centre of the board. Then, when someone lands on the Free Parking square, they get a nice bonus and can pick up all the money that has been collected in the middle.
