How Much Money Do You Start With in Monopoly?

Care for a round of Monopoly? If you’ve ever played this classic board game, but never dealt the money yourself, you might have questions like “How do properties work?”, “How much money do you start with in Monopoly?” or “How can I make the game more fun?”. Lucky for you, I’m putting an end to your doubts and telling you all there is to know about Monopoly money.

Let’s get rolling!

How Much Money Do You Start With in Monopoly?

Before getting down to the nitty-gritty, it’s worth mentioning that in a standard game of Monopoly, the total amount of money racks up to $20,580 (or $15,140 for older games). Therefore, this sum is divided between the players, while the remainder stays at the bank.

Monopoly token on a board

So you’ve laid out your board, assigned your tokens, and you’re ready to begin. But you can’t move on yet because you need a certain amount of Monopoly money to start. $1,500 of it to be exact! Namely, in most types of Monopoly, the Monopoly banker gives each player $1,500 in several banknotes.

However, Monopoly’s money distribution depends on the specific game type. Here’s the breakdown for some of the most popular versions:

Classic

Most of you are probably familiar with the classic version of the game. Here, each player gets $1,500 in Monopoly starting money, which is divided as follows:

  • 2 x $500
  • 2 x $100
  • 2 x $50
  • 6 x $20
  • 5 x $10
  • 5 x $5
  • 5 x $1

Speed Die

Speed Die Monopoly has several different rules, one of them being that each player starts the game with an extra $1,000. Everyone gets:

  • 4 x $500
  • 2 x $100
  • 2 x $50
  • 6 x $20
  • 5 x $10
  • 5 x $5
  • 5 x $1

Monopoly Empire

In this version of Monopoly, each player starts with $1,000,000, divided as follows:

  • 1 x $500k
  • 4 x $100k
  • 2 x $50k

Note: There is no k (thousand) on the banknotes, therefore $500 is actually $500,000.

Junior

The Junior Monopoly money distribution is also a bit different, as the amount depends on how many people are playing. Therefore, each player receives:

  • $20 in 2-player games
  • $18 in 3-player games
  • $16 in 4-player games

The money is only comprised of single $1 bills for easier understanding.

Electronic

Interestingly enough, the Electronic Banking Edition of Monopoly is completely cash-free. Instead, players receive a banking unit that reads cards. Here, each player starts with $15 million on their cards and all transactions go through the unit.

Millionaire

In the Millionaire version of Monopoly, each player starts with $372,000 comprised of:

  • 2 x $100,000
  • 2 x $50,000
  • 2 x $20,000
  • 2 x $10,000
  • 2 x $5,000
  • 2 x $1,000

Cheaters Edition

In arguably one of the most interesting editions of Monopoly, each player starts with the familiar $1,500. However, the bills are divided as follows:

  • 2 x $500
  • 4 x $100
  • 1 x $50
  • 1 x $20
  • 3 x $10

Deluxe Edition

Just like the classic version, the Monopoly Deluxe Edition banker gives each player $1,500 comprised of:

  • 2 x $500
  • 2 x $100
  • 2 x $50
  • 6 x $20
  • 5 x $10
  • 1 x $5
  • 5 x $1

Star Wars

In the 15 different Star Wars Editions, each player gets $1,500 in the beginning. However, the money may be called Galactic Credits, Imperial Credits, or Republic Credits, depending on the specific version. Here, the Monopoly banker can divide the money in 2 ways:

  • 2 x $500
  • 2 x $500
  • 4 x $100
  • 1 x $50
  • 1 x $20
  • 2 x $10
  • 1 x $5
  • 5 x $1
  • 2 x $100
  • 2 x $50
  • 6 x $20
  • 5 x $10
  • 5 x $5
  • 5 x $1

How To Play Monopoly?

Now that you know all about money distribution, let’s go over the Monopoly game rules. Fortunately, the basic rules are simple – that’s part of the reason why the game is so addictive!

Monopoly players start with a set amount of money, assign tokens, and take turns rolling two dice on the board and moving. Here’s a comprehensive step-by-step process:

  1. The banker deals $1,500 to each player and rolls the dice to see who goes first
  2. The player with the highest roll starts the game and the play passes from highest to lowest
  3. On a player’s turn, they roll two dice and move their piece that number of spaces
  4. If a player rolls doubles, they roll again and move their piece twice as many spaces
  5. If a player lands on a space that is not owned, they can buy it from the bank
  6. If a player lands on a space that is owned by another player, they must pay the rent indicated on the property’s card
  7. Players can buy houses and hotels and put them on their property spaces and collect rent from other players

The player who has the most money and bankrupts all the others at the end is the winner. However, that’s not the full extent of the game. Official Monopoly rules also include the following:

  1. Players can only buy one property per turn
  2. Players cannot move their tokens if they owe rent or money to another player
  3. Players go to jail if they land on that space, draw that card, or roll doubles three times in a row
  4. If a player lands on a mortgaged property, they don’t pay rent
  5. If a player lands on the Income Tax space in Monopoly, they have to pay $200 to the bank or pay 10% of all their assets

Variations of Playing

Besides the hundreds of versions you can play, you also have the choice to vary your starting money in Monopoly, the way of play, or the rules to make it more or less challenging.

Monopoly tokens on a board

However, keep in mind that if everyone starts the game with more than $1,500, it might take longer for players to go bankrupt and the play would get rather monotonous. Alternatively, if you start with less money, all players will need to take more trips past the “Go” space, resulting in a drawn-out round.

If you don’t want to change your money amount, here are other options to spruce up your game:

  • Add money to the “Free Parking” space so the landing player collects it as a reward
  • Receive money for landing on the “Go” space
  • Include random fees throughout the game
  • Form partnerships with other players and buy and build properties together
  • Choose a player that can abruptly and unexpectedly end the game without a winner
  • A player must always buy a property they land on and try to go bankrupt first
  • No player is allowed to purchase any property until they’ve been around the board once
  • Eliminate the mortgage option completely, players must either sell or trade their property

Property in Monopoly

Last but not least, let’s talk about the Monopoly rules for houses and hotels. As I already mentioned, players can buy property when they land on it. Therefore, if the space is available, the Monopoly player can buy it from the bank for the price listed on the property’s card and then other players will pay rent.

You can see that each property is part of a group of colour-coded spaces. To be able to build houses and hotels and collect rent from other players, you must buy all the spaces in the same colour. Namely, this means you’re building a monopoly!

Finishing Thoughts

So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about Monopoly money. I hope this has answered all of your questions and that you can go out and enjoy a game with your friends or family while exhibiting supreme Monopoly knowledge.

FAQ

How much money do you start with in Monopoly Millionaire?

In the Millionaire version of Monopoly, each player starts with $372,000.

How much money do you get in Monopoly?

Before starting the game, the Monopoly banker gives each player $1,500.

ABOUT AUTHOR

Mila is an English literature student and a devoted animal's rights advocate. Despite her love for the written word, she's a keen observer of the everyday world and an excellent researcher with a bright and fresh perspective. When she's not doing research, you're most likely to find her out for a walk with her dog or binge-watching a TV show.

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