9 Facts About Monopoly That Will Surprise You

Monopoly is perhaps the most popular board game. Since its introduction to the market in 1935, over 250 million games have been sold and the game has been played by over 1 billion people worldwide. One of the most popular board games in history, Monopoly was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998.

But even if you think you're an expert, there are some little-known facts about Monopoly that might surprise you.

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1. The first version of the game was created by a woman.

Long before Charles Darrow sold his game to Parker Bros., a woman named Lizzie Magee purchased a patent in 1904 for Landlord's Game, which was similar to the Monopoly game we know today. In Maggie's game, players bought the property and paid rent. Sounds familiar? Years later, in 1933, Charles Darrow did a few tricks on Maggie's idea and ended up selling the game in 1935.

2. The man from Monopoly is the prototype of a real tycoon.

The Monopoly man is said to be inspired by the powerful banker JP Morgan, who helped fund the construction of the railroads and organized several large corporations, including General Electric.

3. There is not much money in the bank.

The total pot is really only $20,580 in the original version of the game.

4. Monopoly is a worldwide sensation.

Although the game is based on real-life locations in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Monopoly is truly an international phenomenon. The game has been sold in 114 countries and translated into 47 languages.

5. There are many different versions of the game on the market.

Over 300 different versions of Monopoly have been created, including Star Wars, Pokémon, and Game of Thrones.

6. The longest game lasted over two months.

If you've ever played Monopoly, you know that it can take a while to decide a winner. A typical game should last between 60 and 90 minutes. But the longest game lasted 70 consecutive days.

7. Some games were cheap.

The original Monopoly game sells for $2. Today you will pay about $18.

8. Others will cost a lot more.

The most expensive Monopoly game set was created in San Francisco by a jeweler, Sidney Mobell. It cost $2 million.

9. Prison is good.

Prison may seem like the worst place to be when playing Monopoly, but being locked up can be a winning strategy. According to Natalie Fitzsimons, the 2015 British Monopoly Champion, at the end of the game it's better to sit in jail and collect money from your opponents.