Monopoly has become a staple of many households during Christmas and other holiday periods. Some people love it, others get too competitive, and others try to hide from it for fear that it could last hours to finish just one game. The original version was developed from Lizzie Magie’s The Landlord’s Game in 1903 to help people understand how wealth and the economy worked. It may not be used as a way to educate today, but it remains an integral part of any board game shelf.
Monopoly has become a worldwide hit and has influenced the creation of other niches of entertainment, including computer games, films, comics, books, and more. It has also given birth to a Monopoly World Championship tournament.
There is no surprise that versions of the title can be found in casinos as slot games and even includes a live casino game called Monopoly Live within its gaming hub. Monopoly Live is a revolutionary game from Evolution Gaming that includes a live dealer streamed from a studio. It combines elements of the classic Monopoly game with aspects of Roulette. But let’s dial it back to understand how this pastime came about and some of the fantastic variations that have been made.
The history of Monopoly
The word monopoly means the domination of a single entity within a market, hence why there must only be one winner of a game and why the game can last so long. The Monopoly we know today is derived from a game created by Lizzie Magie in 1903, which used economic theory to highlight how an economy that rewarded the creation of wealth was important.
Parker Brothers created the earliest version in 1935, but the game did without some taxation rules that were used within The Landlord’s Game. Hasbro eventually absorbed parker Bros in the early 1990s, which is why Monopoly remains a Hasbro creation to date.
A man called Charles Darrow published the rules to The Landlord’s Game after playing it at a dinner party, causing Parker Bros to buy the game from Darrow. However, they soon realized he was not the actual owner of the game and had to buy Magie because she had already patented it. They paid her $500 in the 1930s, which would be around $8,500 in 2022.
Around The World
The game was released in the US and eventually the UK using real locations. Interestingly, British Intelligence services started sending the game to prisoner of war camps during the Nazi invasion of Europe. But hidden inside the Monopoly packaging were items that could be used to help the Jews escape their camps.
The Nazis were currently occupying The Netherlands when they noticed local people playing the game in the US and UK versions and using their currencies. Consequently, a Dutch version was brought out. From here on, the game became a success and traveled around the world into different local variations. Since then, further variations have been made based on TV shows, movies, and pop culture. This includes Monopoly games based on football teams and specific cities.
