What’s the Best Monopoly Strategy?
Cortney Oates
Lake Forest College
Statistics
Introduction
Jail
Illinois Avenue
B&O Railroad
Reading Railroad
Boardwalk
Park Place
5.89%
3.18%
3.06%
2.99%
2.63%
2.19%
Single Throws
All Throws
10
• The earliest form of
“Monopoly” was created
in 1902 and first patented
in 1904.
• 1904 version is called The
Landlord’s Game.
• In 1933 the board game
resembling Monopoly
today was issued.
• 1974 First book dedicated
to Monopoly
The Markov Chain is described as the
series of vectors v, Mv, M2v,
M3v…etc.
Each dice throw is outlines by matrix
M working on the vector V.
“The premises of the Markov chains is
independent of all previous states–it
only depends on the current state.”
0
Strategy
• Own all four railroads if at all possible. It is the best way to stack up on cash, and there is no
need to pour money into the railroads to add houses.
• The next three strategies all include 3 houses on the following colors: orange, light blue, and
light purple/magenta.
Summary
• Monopoly now has over
600 versions being sold
worldwide.
• Although Illinois Avenue
has the highest probability
of being landed on of any
rentable property, putting
houses on the reds should
not be your first priority.
• Don’t upgrade to Hotels,
stay with 3 houses for the
maximum profit.
• Sitting in Jail for a few
turns if your opponent has
a lot of properties isn’t a
bad thing.
1996 Article
• Ian Stewart
• Equal Distribution
• How Fair is Monopoly
References
•
•
•
•
Buy houses early, and stick to only houses. You don’t need Hotels!
2 houses = 20 turns to break even
3 houses = Less than 20 turns
Breaking-even can be reached on spot New York Avenue in only 10 turns
• Stewart, Ian. "How Fair Is Monopoly?"
Scientific American (1996): 104-05. Print.
• "Monopoly Revisited by Ian Stewart."
Mathematical Recreations. Web. 16 Nov.
2015.
• Friddell. "Markov and Mr. Monopoly Make
Millions." 2010. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.
• "How to Win at Monopoly ® - a Surefire
Strategy." How to Win at Monopoly ® - a
Surefire Strategy. 1 Nov. 2007. Web. 16 Nov.
2015.
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