National Play Monopoly Day Date in the current year: November 19, 2024

Monopoly is an economic-themed board game where players buy and trade properties, develop them with houses and hotels, and collect rent from their opponents. In order to win, a player must drive all the other players into bankruptcy and remain the last one standing.

The history of Monopoly dates back to the early 20th century. In 1904, American feminist and single taxer (i.e. proponent of Henry George’s single tax movement) Elizabeth Magie received a patent for The Landlord’s Game, a board game designed to explain the economic principles of Georgism and demonstrate how rents enrich landlords while impoverishing tenants.

Magie self-published her game in 1906. A number of similar games that involved buying, selling and development of land, including The Fascinating Game of Finance (also known as Finance and Fortune or simply Finance), were developed during the next couple of decades. In 1924, Magie received another patent for her game because the first one had expired.

In 1932, Charles Darrow, a domestic heater salesman from Philadelphia, was taught to play a version the game by his wife’s childhood friend Charles Todd. After learning the game and seeing its potential, Darrow started making game sets by hand and distribute the game as Monopoly.

In 1934, Darrow tried to sell his game to the Milton Bradley Company and Parker Brothers, but both manufacturers rejected it. Parker Brothers, however, changed their mind when Monopoly sold really well during the 1934 Christmas season. They contacted Darrow, helped him receive a patent, and bought the game. Parker Brothers subsequently also bought the rights to other versions of the game, including Magie’s 1924 patent.

And that’s how the Monopoly we all know and love was born. Since then, hundreds of different editions, modifications, and spin-offs of the game have been developed. Monopoly has been translated into almost 40 languages and licensed in over 100 countries. According to 2015 estimates, 275 million copies of the game had been sold worldwide by its 80th anniversary.

The origins of National Play Monopoly Day are unclear; the choice of the date doesn’t make much sense either because even though Parker Brothers began marketing Monopoly in November 1935, it occurred on November 5 and not on November 19. However, you shouldn’t let the obscure origins of the holiday stop you from celebrating!

The best way to celebrate National Play Monopoly Day is, of course, to play Monopoly! Stock up on snacks and soda, invite your family and friends to come over, and spend the evening trying to drive each other into bankruptcy. Don’t forget to snap a photo of your Monopoly board and share it on social media with the hashtags #NationalPlayMonopolyDay and #PlayMonopolyDay to spread the word about the holiday.