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The McDonald's Monopoly game is a sweepstakes sales promotion of McDonald's and Hasbro, which uses the theme of the latter's board game Monopoly. It first ran in 1987.

The promotion has used other names, such as Monopoly Best Chance Game (2003–2005), Monopoly: Pick Your Prize! (2001), Monopoly/Millionaire Game, Prize Vault in the United Kingdom (2013-), and a version based on the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire television show.^{[citation needed]}

History

The promotion has been offered in the United States & Canada since 1987;^[1] Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, and United Kingdom since 1987. Argentina and Brazil were included in 2013. From 2003-2009, Best Buy was involved in the U.S. version, and later in the Canadian version.

Like many merchants, McDonald's offered sweepstakes to draw customers into its restaurants. Laws generally forbid a company from administering its own contests, in order to prevent fraud and to ensure that all prizes are given away. McDonald's had a relationship with Simon Worldwide Inc., which was responsible for the distribution of the contest pieces and the awarding of major prizes.

Fraud

In 2000, the US promotion was halted after fraud was uncovered. A subcontracting company called Simon Marketing (a then-subsidiary of Cyrk), which had been hired by McDonald's to organize and promote the game, failed to recognize a flaw in its procedures. Chief of security Jerome P. Jacobson^[2] was able to remove the most expensive game pieces, which he then passed to associates who would redeem them and share the proceeds. The associates won almost all of the top prizes between 1995 and 2000, including McDonald's giveaways that did not have the Monopoly theme. The associates netted over $24 million. While the fraud appeared to have been perpetrated by only one key employee of the promotion company, and not by the company's management, eight people were originally arrested, leading to a total of 21 indicted individuals.^[3] 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.^[4] Due to a constitutional violation, four of those convicted of the fraud were later released as they were not initially charged with the offense.^[5]

In 1995, St. Jude 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 made its last $50,000 annual payment in 2014.^[6] Investigations later indicated that Jacobson had admitted to sending the winning piece to the hospital.^[7]

Gameplay

Example of a variety of tokens from the UK version of the game, 2014 (serial numbers censored)

The promotion mimics the game Monopoly. Originally, customers received a set of two tokens with every purchase, but now tokens come only with certain menu items. Tokens correspond to a property space on the Monopoly board (with the exception of the Golden Avenue/Arches Avenue "properties", which were added in the 2008 edition; and Electric Company/Water Works in 2014). When combined into color-matched properties, the tokens may be redeemed for money. Historically, the grand prize ($1 million; annuity-only)^{[Note 1]} has been the combination of the two most costly properties, Park Place and Boardwalk, but in the 2006-2007 games the top prize ($5 million, with the traditional $1 million prize for Boardwalk/Park Place) was awarded for collecting the four railroads. There are also "instant win" tokens the recipient can redeem for McDonald's food (typically small menu items, such as a free small McFlurry or medium fries) but never for any food item that has game pieces, money, or other prizes. The 2001 edition was titled "Pick Your Prize!", in which winners could choose which of three ways they wanted their prize awarded to them (i.e. they could choose if they wanted their $1 million in gold, diamonds, or $50,000 per year for 20 years).

Coupon pieces

Additionally, in the 2005 edition, certain foods always came with one coupon which could be used at either Best Buy, Toys R Us, or Foot Locker (including online stores). The value of each coupon was random, with Toys R Us coupons ranging from $1 to $5; up to $5 in coupons could be used in a single transaction. In 2008, these coupons were redeemed for up to 25% off any Foot Locker item(s). Since 2009, the promotion has not featured any coupons.

Products with game pieces

In 2014, the following products will feature game pieces:

Canada^[8]	USA^[9]
Big Mac (Single/Double)	Big Mac
Chicken McNuggets (10/20 pc.)	Chicken McNuggets (10/20 pc.)
Filet-O-Fish	Filet-O-Fish
Large French Fries	Large French Fries
Medium & Large Hot McCafe Beverages	Medium & Large McCafe Beverages (Iced or Blended)
Medium & Large Soft Drink Cups	Medium Soft Drink Cups
Coffee (Medium/Large)	Coffee (Medium/Large)
Milkshakes (Large)	Bacon Clubhouse Sandwiches
McMuffin Sandwiches	McMuffin Sandwiches (Egg/Egg White Delight/Sausage with Egg)
Hashbrowns	Hashbrowns
Quarter Pounder with Cheese/BLT sandwiches (Single/Double)	Oatmeal
Premium McWrap	Premium McWrap

US Law requires that game pieces be available upon request with no purchase necessary (Alternative Method of Entry, "AMOE"), and can be requested by the mailing of a handwritten, self-addressed stamped envelope.^[9]

Rare pieces in US/Canada

Mediterranean Avenue (#501)

Vermont Avenue (#504)

Virginia Avenue (#508)

Tennessee Avenue (#510)

Kentucky Avenue (#512)

Ventnor Avenue (#516)

Pennsylvania Avenue (#520)

Boardwalk(#522)

Short Line (#526)

Water Works (#527)

US/Canada

The rare collectible pieces that dictate the odds of winning are as follows:

Property	2014 code	2014 prize^[10]	2013 code	2013 prize	2012 code	2012 prize	2011 code	2011 prize	2010 code	2010 prize	2009 code	2009 prize	2008 code	2008 prize	2007 code	2007 prize	2006 code	2006 prize	2005 code	2005 prize
Mediterranean Avenue	501	$50 (Paid in McDonald's Gift Cards in Canada)	431/461	$1,000 ($25 McDonald's Gift Card in Canada)	925	$50 (Paid in McDonald's Gift Cards in Canada)	321	$50 (Paid in McDonald's Gift Cards in Canada)	750	$50 (Paid in McDonald's Gift Cards in Canada)	101	$50 (Paid in McDonald's Gift Cards in Canada)	251	$100	801	$50	3601	$50	5001	iPod plus 1000 iTunes downloads
Vermont Avenue	504	Shell fuel for 1 Year ($2,500 in Canada)	434/464	$5,000 ($50 McDonald's Gift Card in Canada)	928	$5,000	324		753		104		254		804		3604		5004
Virginia Avenue	508	$5,000	438/468	$10,000 ($20,000 in Canada)	932	Beaches Resorts Vacation	328		757		108		258		808		3608		5008
Tennessee Avenue	510	Softcard Mobile Wallet Prize + $2,500 for wireless service ($5,000 Wal-Mart Gift Card in Canada)	440/470	EA Sports Super Bowl XLVIII trip for 2 ($5,000 Wal-Mart Gift Card in Canada)	934	$10,000	330	Beaches Resorts Vacation	759	$1,000	110	$5,000	260	$5,000	810	$5,000	3610	$1,500	5010	JVC electronics package
Kentucky Avenue	512	Any Delta Airlines Vacations Destination for 2 (all areas)	442/472	Any Delta Airlines Destination for 2	936	Any Delta Airlines Destination for 2	332	$50,000	761	Beaches Resorts Vacation	112	$10,000	262	$10,000	812	$10,000	3612	$5,000	5012	100 million Best Buy Reward Zone points
Ventnor Avenue	516	Beaches Resorts Vacation	446/476	$20,000 ($10,000 in Canada)	940	$20,000	336	$100,000	765	$25,000	116	$25,000	266	$25,000	816	$25,000	3616	$10,000	5016	Trip to the Glory Road movie premiere
Pennsylvania Avenue	520	Cessna Private Jet Trip	450/480	2014 Fiat 500L (2013 Fiat POP in Canada)	944	2013 Fiat 500 Sport Hatchback	340	2012 Nissan Leaf or 2012 Nissan 370z	769	$50,000	120	$50,000	270	$50,000	820	$50,000	3620	$50,000	5020	JVC and LG "electronic makeover"
Boardwalk	522	$1,000,000 (annuity)	452/482	$1,000,000 (annuity, $100,000 for Canada)	946	$1,000,000 (annuity)	342	$1,000,000 (annuity)	771	$1,000,000 (annuity)	122	$1,000,000 (annuity)	274	$1,000,000 (annuity)	822	$1,000,000 (annuity)	3622	$1,000,000 (annuity)	5022	$1,000,000 (annuity)
Short Line	526	$5,000 Target Shopping Experience on Black Friday ($1,000 in Canada)	456/486	Shell Fuel for 1 Year ($5,000 in Canada)	950	EA SPORTS Fan Trip Championship Get-A-Way	346	EA SPORTS Trip	775	EA SPORTS Trip	126	$500	278	$500	826	$5,000,000 (annuity)	3626	$5,000,000 (annuity)	5026	Dodge Viper
Water Works***	527	$10,000 to pay bills
Golden Avenue**													271	$100,000

Note that the rare piece is alphabetically the last property in each group, except for Boardwalk. In 2013, McDonald's allowed two Boardwalk pieces to be produced, normally there has been one.

[*] Until 2007, Mediterranean and Baltic avenues were dark purple properties on the traditional Monopoly board; the color changed to brown in 2008.

[**] McDonald's added Golden Avenue and Arches Avenue for 2008 only; the prize for obtaining both was $100,000.

[***] Electric Company & Water Works are added for 2014; obtaining both wins $10,000.

Germany

The German version of the rare piece list is as follows:

Property	2009 code	2009 prize	2009 number awarded
Jackpot	???	1 each of the below + 1 each of the instant win prizes.	1x	0 property	1 instant
Turmstraße	902	Monopoly Game set.	1000x	340 property	660 instant
Elisenstraße & Poststraße	904 & 905	€1,000 Prepaid Visa Card	1000x	950 property	50 instant
Hafenstraße	907	LG Netbook	500x	170 property	330 instant
Wiener Straße & Berliner Straße	910 & 911	Audi A3 Cabriolet	100x	90 property	10 instant
Museumstraße	913	Nintendo Wii with Avatar the game	777x	259 property	518 instant
Schillerstraße	916	MSC cruise for two	5x	2 property	3 instant
Hauptstraße	919	ETI dream vacation to Egypt	100x	34 property	66 instant
Parkstraße	921	Hercules Mountain Bike	100x	34 property	66 instant
Südbahnhof & Westbahnhof	932 & 924	€100,000 from Visa	10x	10 property	0 instant

In addition to the property pieces, there are also Instant Win pieces for a Samsung MP3 player, a LG Touchscreen cellphone, €150 gift certificates to S.Oliver, a JBL iPod dock, a Funai Flatscreen television, Nikon digital camera, Noxon internet radio, and SnowTrex one-week ski vacation for two.

Online games

In 2005, McDonald's introduced an online counterpart to its traditional game. In addition to the traditional "sticker" game, participants can play online. Each game piece lists a code which can be entered online, to a maximum of 10 entries per 24 hours. Each code entered grants the user one roll on a virtual Monopoly game board, identical to the board game's board. Rolling "doubles" (two dice sharing the same number), as with the real board game, allows the user to move again.

Landing on Electric Company, Income Tax, Jail/Just Visiting, Go to Jail, Water Works, or Luxury Tax does not count towards any prize. If a player lands on an unowned property (not landed upon by the player in a previous turn), the user will "collect" that property. When all properties of a colored set are collected, the user wins a prize, with prize values similar to those of the sticker game. In addition to collecting property sets, users can also win by landing on certain "instant win" spaces, including Go, Chance, Community Chest, and Free Parking. Landing on Go (but not simply passing it) gives the player a code worth one free hour of WiFi access at participating McDonald's restaurants. Landing on Chance is worth money to spend at Foot Locker. Landing on Community Chest allows the user to be given a code worth 25 My Coke Rewards points. Landing on Free Parking is a prize of a $50 refillable gas card from Shell, or alternatively 25 complimentary apple pies.

In 2007, landing on Community Chest won game downloads.^[11]

In 2009, the prizes became two hours of WiFi and a $25 Arch Card for landing on Go, an entry into an online roll for $1,000,000 (annuity) for landing on Chance, 25 My Coke Rewards points for landing on Community Chest, and a $50 refillable Shell gift card for landing on Free Parking.

The values of the dice are not random. As stated in the contest rules, one property in each set is "rare," similar to the sticker game. These rare properties are landed on only when the game server "seeds" a winning roll. Winning rolls are seeded at specific times on specific dates, and the first user to roll the dice once a win has been seeded will land on a winning piece. This allows McDonald's to declare the odds of winning certain prizes, a legal requirement for contests in most jurisdictions.

In 2010, the online game was changed, removing the dice and the game board, presenting only 3 Chance cards from which to pick. One has a prize, starting at 30 My Coke Rewards points, but may be (non-randomly) seeded with a higher-valued prize. Player chooses one card, is asked if that is the choice the player wants to make, and the card is flipped. If it is the pre-selected winning card, player wins the pre-selected prize. Odds of winning: Based on time you enter code not the card you choose.

In 2011, the game was changed again – the mascot, Rich Uncle Pennybags (aka "Mr. Monopoly"), is shown attempting to throw a Chance card into a top hat. If the card lands in the hat, the player can claim a prize. Players must choose a "throwing style", which only changes the animations used – it does nothing to affect one's odds of winning.

In 2012, the game was changed once more. Players must click on "Spin" first, and if it landed on "GO!", the player wins the online prize shown. The next year, players had to click on "Play"; a win resulted in the prize shown onscreen; regardless of outcome, players received an entry to win a 2013 Fiat 500 Cabrio. For the 2014 game players must click on "GO!", and if it results in a win, the online prize is shown onscreen; regardless of outcome, the participant receives an entry to win $50,000.

Restrictions

For all versions of the online game, players are restricted to a set number of online entries per day.^[12] In the UK, this is restricted to 24 entries. In USA, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Saipan, the limit is 10.

Note that the official rules state: "The purchase, sale, trading, or barter of Game Pieces, Game Stamps, FREE Codes or Game Codes via Online or live auctions, or any other methods, does not constitute Legitimate Channels and is expressly prohibited."^[12] This includes eBay as it is a violation of their lottery policy.

Notes

^ The prize is only payable in $50,000 per year installments. The total value of the prize is not $\sum _{0}^{19}\$50,000=\$1,000,000$ because each successive installment is further diminished by the factor of annual inflation. The actual prize is hundreds of thousands of dollars less. The value of the n^th installment is: $\$50,000{\left({\frac {1}{1+I}}\right)}^{n}$ . Thus, the total value of the prize discounted by a 2% inflation rate (I=0.02) is the geometric sum: $\sum _{n=1}^{20}\$50,000{\left({\frac {1}{1+0.02}}\right)}^{n-1}={\frac {1-{\left({\frac {1}{1+0.02}}\right)}^{20}}{1-\left({\frac {1}{1+0.02}}\right)}}=\$833,923.10$ Such would be the present value of the annuity-due. Alternately, if McDonalds were to withhold the beginning of payments for a year, the annuity-immediate is $817,571.67.

References

^ "Business Insider". Business Insider. 24 October 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
^ FBI arrests 8 in fraud scheme targeting McDonald's game, CNN, 21 August 2001.
^ Associated Press. Twenty-one indicted in McDonald's scam, St. Petersburg Times, 11 September 2001.
^ "McDonald's to Pay Simon $16.6 Million Settlement". New York Times. 20 August 2003. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
^ "USA Today". USA Today. 20 July 2004. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
^ Donor Turns Fast Food Into Big Bucks For Hospital, The New York Times.
^ St. Judes' Mystery Million Came From Embezzler, CNN transcript, 11 September 2001.
^ "Official Rules". McDonald's Monopoly Sweepstakes. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
^ ^a ^b "2014 MONOPOLY Game at McDonald's | Online Game". Playatmcd.com. 25 September 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
^ http://PlayAtMcD.com/rules
^ "Monopoly at McDonalds". Bizzia.com. 9 October 2007. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
^ ^a ^b "Official Rules". McDonald's Monopoly. Retrieved 17 January 2013.

External links

[Inflation_adjusted_prize_value-8] The prize is only payable in $50,000 per year installments. The total value of the prize is not $\sum _{0}^{19}\$50,000=\$1,000,000$ because each successive installment is further diminished by the factor of annual inflation. The actual prize is hundreds of thousands of dollars less. The value of the n^th installment is: $\$50,000{\left({\frac {1}{1+I}}\right)}^{n}$ . Thus, the total value of the prize discounted by a 2% inflation rate (I=0.02) is the geometric sum: $\sum _{n=1}^{20}\$50,000{\left({\frac {1}{1+0.02}}\right)}^{n-1}={\frac {1-{\left({\frac {1}{1+0.02}}\right)}^{20}}{1-\left({\frac {1}{1+0.02}}\right)}}=\$833,923.10$ Such would be the present value of the annuity-due. Alternately, if McDonalds were to withhold the beginning of payments for a year, the annuity-immediate is $817,571.67.

[1] "Business Insider". Business Insider. 24 October 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2011.

[cnn-2] FBI arrests 8 in fraud scheme targeting McDonald's game, CNN, 21 August 2001.

[3] Associated Press. Twenty-one indicted in McDonald's scam, St. Petersburg Times, 11 September 2001.

[4] "McDonald's to Pay Simon $16.6 Million Settlement". New York Times. 20 August 2003. Retrieved 10 February 2014.

[5] "USA Today". USA Today. 20 July 2004. Retrieved 10 February 2014.

[6] Donor Turns Fast Food Into Big Bucks For Hospital, The New York Times.

[7] St. Judes' Mystery Million Came From Embezzler, CNN transcript, 11 September 2001.

[Official_Rules,_CA-9] "Official Rules". McDonald's Monopoly Sweepstakes. Retrieved 17 January 2013.

[Official_Rules,_US-10] "2014 MONOPOLY Game at McDonald's | Online Game". Playatmcd.com. 25 September 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2012.

[11] ttp://PlayAtMcD.com/rules

[12] "Monopoly at McDonalds". Bizzia.com. 9 October 2007. Retrieved 26 September 2012.

[pow-13] "Official Rules". McDonald's Monopoly. Retrieved 17 January 2013.

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 ==History==
-The promotion has been offered in the United States & Canada since 1994; Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, and United Kingdom since 1987. Argentina and Brazil were included in 2013. From 2003-2009, [[Best Buy]] was involved in the U.S. version, and later in the Canadian version.
+The promotion has been offered in the United States & Canada since 1987;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-monopoly-facts-2011-10?op=1|title=Business Insider|publisher=Business Insider|date=2011-10-24|accessdate=2011-10-24}}</ref> Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, and United Kingdom since 1987. Argentina and Brazil were included in 2013. From 2003-2009, [[Best Buy]] was involved in the U.S. version, and later in the Canadian version.
 Like many merchants, McDonald's offered sweepstakes to draw customers into its restaurants. Laws generally forbid a company from [[conflict of interest|administering its own contests]], in order to prevent fraud and to ensure that all prizes are given away. McDonald's had a relationship with [[Cyrk (company)|Simon Worldwide Inc.]], which was responsible for the distribution of the contest pieces and the awarding of major prizes.