McDonald's Monopoly: Difference between revisions
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The '''McDonald's Monopoly''' game is a [[sweepstakes]] advertising promotion of [[McDonald's]] and [[Hasbro]] that has been offered in the [[United States]], [[Canada]], [[UK]] and [[Australia]]. In recent years, [[Best Buy]] has been involved in the U.S. version and recently in the Canadian one as well. It has also gone by various other names including "Monopoly Best Chance Game" (2003-05, the first years of Best Buy's involvement) and "Monopoly/Millionaire Game", a version based on the [[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (US game show)|Who Wants to Be a Millionaire]] TV show. |
The '''McDonald's Monopoly''' game is a [[sweepstakes]] advertising promotion of [[McDonald's]] and [[Hasbro]] that has been offered in the [[United States]], [[Canada]], [[UK]] and [[Australia]]. In recent years, [[Best Buy]] has been involved in the U.S. version and recently in the Canadian one as well. It has also gone by various other names including "Monopoly Best Chance Game" (2003-05, the first years of Best Buy's involvement) and "Monopoly/Millionaire Game", a version based on the [[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (US game show)|Who Wants to Be a Millionaire]] TV show. |
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==Gameplay== |
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The game mimics the game of [[Monopoly (game)|Monopoly]]. Originally, customers received a set of two tokens with every purchase, but now tokens only come with certain menu items. Tokens correspond to a property space on the Monopoly board. When combined into color-matched properties, the tokens may be redeemed for money or prizes such as video games and portable [[compact disc|CD]] players (though the 2006 U.S. game was for money only). Historically, the grand prize has been the combination of the two most costly properties, Park Place and Boardwalk, but in a 2006 game the grand prize was awarded for collecting the four railroads. In order to restrict the availability of the top prizes, one property in a set is rare. There are also "instant win" tokens the recipient can redeem for McDonald's food (typically small menu items such as a free [[hash browns]] or [[ice cream sundae]]), cash, or other prizes. |
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===Rare pieces=== |
===Rare pieces=== |
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Revision as of 22:56, 12 October 2007
The McDonald's Monopoly game is a sweepstakes advertising promotion of McDonald's and Hasbro that has been offered in the United States, Canada, UK and Australia. In recent years, Best Buy has been involved in the U.S. version and recently in the Canadian one as well. It has also gone by various other names including "Monopoly Best Chance Game" (2003-05, the first years of Best Buy's involvement) and "Monopoly/Millionaire Game", a version based on the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire TV show.
Rare pieces
The rare collectible pieces, the ones that dictate the odds of winning, are:
| Property | 2007 code | 2007 prize | 2006 code | 2006 prize | 2005 code | 2005 prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mediterranean Avenue | 801 | $50 | 3601 | $50 | 5001 | |
| Vermont Avenue | 804 | $500 | 3604 | $500 | 5004 | |
| Virginia Avenue | 808 | $1,000 | 3608 | $1,000 | 5008 | |
| Tennessee Avenue | 810 | $5,000 | 3610 | $1,500 | 5010 | |
| Kentucky Avenue | 812 | $10,000 | 3612 | $5,000 | 5012 | |
| Ventnor Avenue | 816 | $25,000 | 3616 | $10,000 | 5016 | |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 820 | $50,000 | 3620 | $50,000 | 5020 | |
| Boardwalk | 822 | $1,000,000 (annuity) | 3622 | $1,000,000 (annuity) | 5022 | $1,000,000 (annuity) |
| Short Line | 826 | $100 | 3626 | $5,000,000 | 5026 | Dodge Viper |
History
McDonald's promotional contests
Like many merchants, McDonald's offered prize money contests to draw customers into its restaurants. State lottery rules generally forbid a company from administering its own contests, in order to prevent fraud and to ensure that all the offered prize money is paid out. McDonald's had a long standing relationship with Simon Worldwide Inc., which was responsible for the distribution of the contest pieces and the payment of major prizes.
McDonald's contests were almost all based on a "collection" basis, in which more than one contest piece had to be collected to win a prize (although some contest pieces were "instant winners"). Contests of this sort generally make one or more contest pieces rare, so that it is difficult to find, printed in very small quantities under secure conditions and then mixed with the more common pieces to ensure they are randomly distributed to the customers.
Fraud
In 2001, the U.S. promotion was halted after fraud was uncovered. A subcontracting company called Simon Marketing (a then-subsidiary of Cyrk), which was hired by McDonald's to organize and promote the game, failed to recognize a flaw in its procedures, and the chief of security, Jerome P. Jacobson,[1] was able to remove the "most expensive" game pieces, which he then passed to associates who would redeem them and share the proceeds. It turned out that almost all of the grand prize and top prize winners over several years, including contests McDonald's held that did not have the Monopoly theme, had been participants in the scheme, netting more than $24 million. The scheme was eventually uncovered when one of the participants informed on its ringleaders to the FBI. While the fraud was perpetrated without McDonald's knowledge, the McDonald's Corporation voluntarily attempted to rectify the situation by issuing payouts to new (legitimate) contest-winners, awarding five $1 million prizes and fifty $100,000 prizes over a five-day period.[1]
While the fraud appeared to have been perpetuated by only one key employee of the promotion company, and not by the company's management, eight people were originally arrested, eventually leading to a total of 51 indicted individuals.[2] The relationship between McDonald's and Simon Marketing broke down in a pair of lawsuits over breach of contract, eventually settled out of court, with McDonald's claim being thrown out and Simon receiving $16.6 million.[3] Although McDonald's was not involved in the fraud, it came under a great deal of criticism for what appeared to be lax oversight of the promotion company.[citation needed]
Aftermath
In 2003, McDonald's resumed its Monopoly games in the U.S. with new precautions. Game tokens are provided on selected food items and through the mail by sending a self addressed stamped envelope.
In May 2005, the widow of Stanley Warwick, one of the persons indicted in the scheme, sued McDonald's to continue the twenty annual payments of $50,000 Warwick allegedly won in 1999. These payments were discontinued in 2001 when Warwick was indicted for conspiracy to commit mail fraud. The charges were never brought to trial before Warwick's death in 2003.
In the 2006 U.S. version, guaranteed win pieces guaranteed either $1 or $5 in Best Buy credit.
In 2007, the pieces have small cent symbols (¢) printed on them in various patterns that are only visible under ultraviolet light.
St. Jude's Children's Hospital
In 1995, St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee received an anonymous letter postmarked Dallas, Texas, containing a $1 million winning game piece. Although game rules prohibited the transfer of prizes, McDonald's waived the rule and has made the annual $50,000 installments.[4]