Monopoly Best Chance Game
Encyclopedia
The McDonald's Monopoly game is a sweepstakes
advertising promotion of McDonald's
and Hasbro
, which uses the theme of the latter's board game Monopoly
. The promotion has been offered in the United States
, Canada
, Germany
, Hong Kong
, United Kingdom
, France
, Portugal
, Spain
, the Netherlands
, Australia
, Singapore
, Austria
, Poland
, and Switzerland
since 1987. Since 2003, Best Buy
has been involved in the U.S. version, and later in the Canadian version. The promotion has used other names, such as "Monopoly Best Chance Game" (2003–2005, the beginning of Best Buy's involvement) and "Monopoly/Millionaire Game", a version based on the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
TV show.
, 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.
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, and the chief of security, Jerome P. Jacobson, 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. The scheme was uncovered when one of the participants informed the Federal Bureau of Investigation
. Even though the fraud was perpetrated without McDonald's knowledge, the McDonald's Corporation voluntarily attempted to rectify the situation by issuing payouts to new (legitimate) winners, awarding five $1 million annuity prizes, and fifty $100,000 prizes over a five-day period.
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. 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. Although McDonald's was not involved in the fraud, it came under much criticism for what appeared to be lax oversight of the promotion company.
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 is making the $50,000 annual payments. Investigations later indicated, and Jacobson himself admitted, that he had sent the winning piece to the hospital.
. 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). When combined into color-matched properties, the tokens may be redeemed for money. Historically, the grand prize ($1 million; annuity-only) has been the combination of the two most costly properties, Park Place and Boardwalk, but in a 2006 game 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.
, 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). In 2009, 2010, and 2011, the promotion did not feature any coupons.
In 2010, the following products featured game tokens:
In 2009, the following products featured game tokens:
In 2008, the following products featured game tokens:
In 2007, the following products featured game tokens:
Law requires that game pieces are available upon request, by mail.
Note that the rare piece is alphabetically the last property in each group, except for Boardwalk, which is the last piece on the board.
[*] Until 2007, Mediterranean and Baltic avenues were dark purple properties on the traditional Monopoly board; the color change to brown in 2008 reflects the new layout of the standard US Edition Monopoly board.
[**] McDonald's added Golden Avenue and Arches Avenue for 2008 only; the prize for obtaining both was $100,000.
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.
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.
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.
For all versions of the online game, players are allowed to enter 10 codes per day.
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."
If you are related or married to a McDonald's Employee you are unable to participate in the game.
Sweepstakes
The United States consumer sales promotion known as a sweepstake has become associated with marketing promotions targeted toward both generating enthusiasm and providing incentive reactions among customers by enticing consumers to submit free entries into drawings of chance...
advertising promotion of McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
and Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
, which uses the theme of the latter's board game Monopoly
Monopoly (game)
Marvin Gardens, the leading yellow property on the board shown, is actually a misspelling of the original location name, Marven Gardens. The misspelling was said to be introduced by Charles Todd and passed on when his home-made Monopoly board was copied by Charles Darrow and thence to Parker...
. The promotion has been offered in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
since 1987. Since 2003, Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
has been involved in the U.S. version, and later in the Canadian version. The promotion has used other names, such as "Monopoly Best Chance Game" (2003–2005, the beginning of Best Buy's involvement) and "Monopoly/Millionaire Game", a version based on the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (US game show)
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is an American television quiz show which offers a maximum prize of $1,000,000 for correctly answering 14 consecutive multiple-choice questions of random difficulty. Until 2010, the format required contestants to correctly answer 15 consecutive questions of increasing...
TV show.
History
Like many merchants, McDonald's offered sweepstakes to draw customers into its restaurants. Laws generally forbid a company from administering its own contestsConflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
, 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 fraudFraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
was uncovered. A subcontracting company called Simon Marketing (a then-subsidiary of Cyrk
Cyrk (Company)
Cyrk was once one of the largest promotions companies in the world with over 2000 employes worldwide. The company's stock was listed on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol CYRK....
), which had been 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, 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. The scheme was uncovered when one of the participants informed the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
. Even though the fraud was perpetrated without McDonald's knowledge, the McDonald's Corporation voluntarily attempted to rectify the situation by issuing payouts to new (legitimate) winners, awarding five $1 million annuity prizes, and fifty $100,000 prizes over a five-day period.
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. 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. Although McDonald's was not involved in the fraud, it came under much criticism for what appeared to be lax oversight of the promotion company.
In 1995, St. Jude Children's Hospital
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, founded in 1962, is a leading pediatric treatment and research facility focused on children's catastrophic diseases. It is located in Memphis, Tennessee. It is a nonprofit medical corporation chartered as a 501 tax-exempt organization under IRS regulations.In...
in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
received an anonymous letter postmarked Dallas, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, containing a $1 million winning game piece. Although game rules prohibited the transfer of prizes, McDonald's waived the rule and is making the $50,000 annual payments. Investigations later indicated, and Jacobson himself admitted, that he had sent the winning piece to the hospital.
Gameplay
The promotion mimics the game MonopolyMonopoly (game)
Marvin Gardens, the leading yellow property on the board shown, is actually a misspelling of the original location name, Marven Gardens. The misspelling was said to be introduced by Charles Todd and passed on when his home-made Monopoly board was copied by Charles Darrow and thence to Parker...
. 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). When combined into color-matched properties, the tokens may be redeemed for money. Historically, the grand prize ($1 million; annuity-only) has been the combination of the two most costly properties, Park Place and Boardwalk, but in a 2006 game 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.
Coupon pieces
Additionally, in the 2007 edition, certain foods always came with one coupon which could be used at either Best BuyBest Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
, Toys R Us, or Foot Locker
Foot Locker
Foot Locker, Inc. is an American sportswear and footwear retailer, with its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and operating in approximately 20 countries worldwide. Formerly known as Venator Group, Inc., it is the successor corporation to the F.W. Woolworth Company , and many of...
(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). In 2009, 2010, and 2011, the promotion did not feature any coupons.
Products with game pieces
In 2011, the following products featured game tokens:| USA | Canada |
|---|---|
| Big Mac Big Mac The Big Mac is a hamburger sold by McDonald's, an international fast food restaurant chain. It is one of the company's signature products... |
Big Mac Big Mac The Big Mac is a hamburger sold by McDonald's, an international fast food restaurant chain. It is one of the company's signature products... (Excludes double Big Mac) |
| Chicken McNuggets Chicken McNuggets Chicken McNuggets are a product offered by international fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's and are one of the most popular trademarked items on the McDonald's menu.... (20 pc. or 10 pc.) |
Chicken McNuggets Chicken McNuggets Chicken McNuggets are a product offered by international fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's and are one of the most popular trademarked items on the McDonald's menu.... (20 pc. or 10 pc.) |
| Large French Fries French fries French fries , chips, fries, or French-fried potatoes are strips of deep-fried potato. North Americans tend to refer to any pieces of deep-fried potatoes as fries or French fries, while in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, long, thinly cut slices of deep-fried potatoes are... |
Large French Fries French fries French fries , chips, fries, or French-fried potatoes are strips of deep-fried potato. North Americans tend to refer to any pieces of deep-fried potatoes as fries or French fries, while in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, long, thinly cut slices of deep-fried potatoes are... |
| Medium Fountain Drinks | Medium and Large Soft Drinks |
| Medium and Large McCafe McCafé McCafé is a coffee-house-style food and drink chain, owned by McDonald's. Created and launched in Melbourne, Australia in 1993 by McDonald's Licensee Ann Brown, the chain reflects a consumer trend towards espresso coffees.... Drinks (Excludes McCafe Shakes and Large Iced Coffee) |
Medium and Large Coffees |
| Filet-O-Fish Filet-O-Fish The Filet-O-Fish is a fish sandwich sold by the international fast food chain store McDonald's.-Product description:... |
|
| McMuffin McMuffin The McMuffin is a family of breakfast sandwiches in various sizes and configurations, sold by the fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's. The Egg McMuffin is the signature breakfast sandwich; it was invented by the late McDonald's franchisee Herb Peterson in the late 1960s and was introduced... breakfast sandwiches |
Buttermilk biscuit breakfast sandwiches |
| Hash Browns | |
| Fruit & Maple Oatmeal | Oatmeal |
| Angus Third Pounders |
In 2010, the following products featured game tokens:
| USA | Canada |
|---|---|
| Big Mac Big Mac The Big Mac is a hamburger sold by McDonald's, an international fast food restaurant chain. It is one of the company's signature products... |
Big Mac Big Mac The Big Mac is a hamburger sold by McDonald's, an international fast food restaurant chain. It is one of the company's signature products... (Excludes double Big Mac) |
| Chicken McNuggets Chicken McNuggets Chicken McNuggets are a product offered by international fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's and are one of the most popular trademarked items on the McDonald's menu.... (20 pc. or 10 pc.) |
Chicken McNuggets Chicken McNuggets Chicken McNuggets are a product offered by international fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's and are one of the most popular trademarked items on the McDonald's menu.... (20 pc. or 10 pc.) |
| Large French Fries French fries French fries , chips, fries, or French-fried potatoes are strips of deep-fried potato. North Americans tend to refer to any pieces of deep-fried potatoes as fries or French fries, while in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, long, thinly cut slices of deep-fried potatoes are... |
Large French Fries French fries French fries , chips, fries, or French-fried potatoes are strips of deep-fried potato. North Americans tend to refer to any pieces of deep-fried potatoes as fries or French fries, while in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, long, thinly cut slices of deep-fried potatoes are... |
| Medium Soft Drinks | Medium Cold Drinks |
| Medium and Large McCafe McCafé McCafé is a coffee-house-style food and drink chain, owned by McDonald's. Created and launched in Melbourne, Australia in 1993 by McDonald's Licensee Ann Brown, the chain reflects a consumer trend towards espresso coffees.... Drinks |
Medium and Large Hot Drinks |
| Hash Browns | McMuffin McMuffin The McMuffin is a family of breakfast sandwiches in various sizes and configurations, sold by the fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's. The Egg McMuffin is the signature breakfast sandwich; it was invented by the late McDonald's franchisee Herb Peterson in the late 1960s and was introduced... breakfast sandwiches (excluding Sausage McMuffin McMuffin The McMuffin is a family of breakfast sandwiches in various sizes and configurations, sold by the fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's. The Egg McMuffin is the signature breakfast sandwich; it was invented by the late McDonald's franchisee Herb Peterson in the late 1960s and was introduced... ) |
| McGriddles | McGriddles |
| Filet-O-Fish Filet-O-Fish The Filet-O-Fish is a fish sandwich sold by the international fast food chain store McDonald's.-Product description:... |
In 2009, the following products featured game tokens:
| USA | Canada |
|---|---|
| Angus Burgers | Big Mac Big Mac The Big Mac is a hamburger sold by McDonald's, an international fast food restaurant chain. It is one of the company's signature products... |
| Chicken McNuggets Chicken McNuggets Chicken McNuggets are a product offered by international fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's and are one of the most popular trademarked items on the McDonald's menu.... (20 pc. or 10 pc.) |
Chicken McNuggets Chicken McNuggets Chicken McNuggets are a product offered by international fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's and are one of the most popular trademarked items on the McDonald's menu.... (20 pc. or 10 pc.) |
| Large French Fries French fries French fries , chips, fries, or French-fried potatoes are strips of deep-fried potato. North Americans tend to refer to any pieces of deep-fried potatoes as fries or French fries, while in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, long, thinly cut slices of deep-fried potatoes are... |
Large French Fries French fries French fries , chips, fries, or French-fried potatoes are strips of deep-fried potato. North Americans tend to refer to any pieces of deep-fried potatoes as fries or French fries, while in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, long, thinly cut slices of deep-fried potatoes are... |
| Medium & Large Fountain Drinks | Large Cold Drink Cups |
| Large Hot McCafe McCafé McCafé is a coffee-house-style food and drink chain, owned by McDonald's. Created and launched in Melbourne, Australia in 1993 by McDonald's Licensee Ann Brown, the chain reflects a consumer trend towards espresso coffees.... Drinks |
Angus Burger bacon and cheddar or Angus Burger |
| Hash Browns | McMuffin McMuffin The McMuffin is a family of breakfast sandwiches in various sizes and configurations, sold by the fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's. The Egg McMuffin is the signature breakfast sandwich; it was invented by the late McDonald's franchisee Herb Peterson in the late 1960s and was introduced... breakfast sandwiches (excluding Sausage McMuffin McMuffin The McMuffin is a family of breakfast sandwiches in various sizes and configurations, sold by the fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's. The Egg McMuffin is the signature breakfast sandwich; it was invented by the late McDonald's franchisee Herb Peterson in the late 1960s and was introduced... ) |
| Large Sweet Tea | Medium or Large Hot Beverage |
| Small Frutopia Beverage | |
| Classic Chicken or Southwest Chicken sandwich (Crispy or Grilled) |
In 2008, the following products featured game tokens:
- Medium or Large Premium Roast Coffee
- McSkillet Burrito
- Southern Style Chicken Sandwich
- Big MacBig MacThe Big Mac is a hamburger sold by McDonald's, an international fast food restaurant chain. It is one of the company's signature products...
- Premium Chicken Sandwiches
- Large French FriesFrench friesFrench fries , chips, fries, or French-fried potatoes are strips of deep-fried potato. North Americans tend to refer to any pieces of deep-fried potatoes as fries or French fries, while in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, long, thinly cut slices of deep-fried potatoes are...
- Medium & Large Fountain Drinks
- Hash Browns
In 2007, the following products featured game tokens:
- Big MacBig MacThe Big Mac is a hamburger sold by McDonald's, an international fast food restaurant chain. It is one of the company's signature products...
- McMuffinMcMuffinThe McMuffin is a family of breakfast sandwiches in various sizes and configurations, sold by the fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's. The Egg McMuffin is the signature breakfast sandwich; it was invented by the late McDonald's franchisee Herb Peterson in the late 1960s and was introduced...
Sandwiches - Large French FriesFrench friesFrench fries , chips, fries, or French-fried potatoes are strips of deep-fried potato. North Americans tend to refer to any pieces of deep-fried potatoes as fries or French fries, while in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, long, thinly cut slices of deep-fried potatoes are...
- Hash Browns
- Medium and Large Fountain Drinks
- Premium Chicken Sandwiches
- 3-piece and 5-piece Chicken Selects
Law requires that game pieces are available upon request, by mail.
US & Canada
The rare collectible pieces that dictate the odds of winning are as follows:| Property | 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 | 2004 code | 2004 prize | 2003 code | 2003 prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mediterranean Avenue* | 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 | 4001 | Delphi Roady2 XM Satellite Radio | 1001 | Xbox Xbox The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console... System & 5 Games |
|
| Vermont Avenue | 324 | $100 | 753 | $100 | 104 | $1,000 | 254 | $1,000 | 804 | $500 | 3604 | $500 | 5004 | 4004 | Xbox Xbox The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console... Video Game System Package |
1004 | Samsung Samsung The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea... Portable DVD Player |
|
| Virginia Avenue | 328 | $200 SpaWish.com Gift Certificate | 757 | $200 SpaWish.com Gift Certificate | 108 | $2,000 | 258 | $2,000 | 808 | $1,000 | 3608 | $1,000 | 5008 | 4008 | Rio Forge 256MB Sport MP3 Player | 1008 | Canon Digital Elph Camera & Photo Printer | |
| Tennessee Avenue | 330 | Beaches Resorts Vacation | 759 | $1,000 | 110 | $5,000 | 260 | $5,000 | 810 | $5,000 | 3987 | $1,500 | 5010 | 4010 | Cingular Wireless Cingular Wireless AT&T Mobility LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T that provides wireless services to 100.7 million subscribers in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands... Service/Sony Sony , commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues.... Ericsson Phone |
1010 | Bose 3-2-1 DVD Home Entertainment System | |
| Kentucky Avenue | 332 | $50,000 | 761 | Beaches Resorts Vacation | 112 | $10,000 | 262 | $10,000 | 812 | $10,000 | 3612 | $5,000 | 5012 | 4012 | Gary Fischer Performance Bike & Garmin Garmin Garmin Ltd. , incorporated in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, is the parent company of a group of companies founded in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Min Kao , that develops consumer, aviation, and marine technologies for the Global Positioning System... GPS System |
1012 | Samsung ab20 Wireless Camera Phone | |
| Ventnor Avenue | 336 | $100,000 | 765 | $25,000 | 116 | $25,000 | 266 | $25,000 | 816 | $25,000 | 3616 | $10,000 | 5016 | 4016 | Canon Elura 70 Camcorder & Compact Photo Printer | 1016 | Sony Vaio Computer & Clie Handheld | |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 340 | 2012 Nissan Leaf | 769 | $50,000 | 120 | $50,000 | 270 | $50,000 | 820 | $50,000 | 3620 | $50,000 | 5020 | 4020 | Toshiba Toshiba is a multinational electronics and electrical equipment corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of electrical products, spanning information & communications equipment and systems, Internet-based solutions and services, electronic components and... HD LCD TV & Home Theater System |
1020 | Samsung Plasma Digital TV | |
| Boardwalk | 342 | $1,000,000 (annuity Annuity (finance theory) The term annuity is used in finance theory to refer to any terminating stream of fixed payments over a specified period of time. This usage is most commonly seen in discussions of finance, usually in connection with the valuation of the stream of payments, taking into account time value of money... ) |
771 | $1,000,000 (annuity Annuity (finance theory) The term annuity is used in finance theory to refer to any terminating stream of fixed payments over a specified period of time. This usage is most commonly seen in discussions of finance, usually in connection with the valuation of the stream of payments, taking into account time value of money... ) |
122 | $1,000,000 (annuity Annuity (finance theory) The term annuity is used in finance theory to refer to any terminating stream of fixed payments over a specified period of time. This usage is most commonly seen in discussions of finance, usually in connection with the valuation of the stream of payments, taking into account time value of money... ) |
274 | $1,000,000 (annuity Annuity (finance theory) The term annuity is used in finance theory to refer to any terminating stream of fixed payments over a specified period of time. This usage is most commonly seen in discussions of finance, usually in connection with the valuation of the stream of payments, taking into account time value of money... ) |
822 | $1,000,000 (annuity Annuity (finance theory) The term annuity is used in finance theory to refer to any terminating stream of fixed payments over a specified period of time. This usage is most commonly seen in discussions of finance, usually in connection with the valuation of the stream of payments, taking into account time value of money... ) |
3622 | $1,000,000 (annuity Annuity (finance theory) The term annuity is used in finance theory to refer to any terminating stream of fixed payments over a specified period of time. This usage is most commonly seen in discussions of finance, usually in connection with the valuation of the stream of payments, taking into account time value of money... ) |
5022 | $1,000,000 (annuity Annuity (finance theory) The term annuity is used in finance theory to refer to any terminating stream of fixed payments over a specified period of time. This usage is most commonly seen in discussions of finance, usually in connection with the valuation of the stream of payments, taking into account time value of money... ) |
4022 | $1,000,000 (annuity Annuity (finance theory) The term annuity is used in finance theory to refer to any terminating stream of fixed payments over a specified period of time. This usage is most commonly seen in discussions of finance, usually in connection with the valuation of the stream of payments, taking into account time value of money... ) |
1022 | $1,000,000 (annuity Annuity (finance theory) The term annuity is used in finance theory to refer to any terminating stream of fixed payments over a specified period of time. This usage is most commonly seen in discussions of finance, usually in connection with the valuation of the stream of payments, taking into account time value of money... ) |
| Short Line | 346 | EA SPORTS Trip | 775 | EA SPORTS Trip | 126 | $500 | 278 | $500 | 826 | $5,000,000 (annuity Annuity (finance theory) The term annuity is used in finance theory to refer to any terminating stream of fixed payments over a specified period of time. This usage is most commonly seen in discussions of finance, usually in connection with the valuation of the stream of payments, taking into account time value of money... ) |
5026 | Dodge viper | 4026 | OARS Whitewater Adventure Trip | 1026 | OARS Whitewater Adventure Trip | ||
| Golden Avenue** | 271 | $100,000 |
Note that the rare piece is alphabetically the last property in each group, except for Boardwalk, which is the last piece on the board.
[*] Until 2007, Mediterranean and Baltic avenues were dark purple properties on the traditional Monopoly board; the color change to brown in 2008 reflects the new layout of the standard US Edition Monopoly board.
[**] McDonald's added Golden Avenue and Arches Avenue for 2008 only; the prize for obtaining both was $100,000.
UK
The UK version of the rare piece list is as follows:- Mayfair
- Bond Street
- Coventry Street
- Strand
- Marlborough Street
- Northumberland Avenue
- Euston Road
- Old Kent Road
- Liverpool St. Station
- Boardwalk
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 Monopoly A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity... 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 Netbook Netbooks are a category of small, lightweight, legacy-free, and inexpensive laptop computers.At their inception in late 2007 as smaller notebooks optimized for low weight and low cost — netbooks omitted certain features , featured smaller screens and keyboards, and offered reduced computing... |
500x | 170 property | 330 instant |
| Wiener Straße & Berliner Straße | 910 & 911 | Audi A3 Cabriolet Audi A3 The Audi A3 is a small family car produced by the German automaker Audi since 1996. Two generations of A3 exist, both based on the Volkswagen Group A platform, which they share with several other models such as the Audi TT, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Caddy and Volkswagen Touran as well as SEAT... |
100x | 90 property | 10 instant |
| Museumstraße | 913 | Nintendo Wii Wii The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others... 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
Foot Locker
Foot Locker, Inc. is an American sportswear and footwear retailer, with its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and operating in approximately 20 countries worldwide. Formerly known as Venator Group, Inc., it is the successor corporation to the F.W. Woolworth Company , and many of...
. 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.
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
My Coke Rewards
My Coke Rewards is a customer loyalty marketing program for Coca-Cola soft drinks. Customers enter codes found on specially marked packages of Coca-Cola products on a website. Codes can also be entered "on the go" by texting them from a cell phone...
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
Rich Uncle Pennybags
Rich "Uncle" Pennybags aka Frank Moneybags, is the round old man in a top hat who serves as the mascot of the game Monopoly. Rich "Uncle" Pennybags was rechristened Mr. Monopoly in a Hasbro marketing effort in 1999. He also is known as Whiff from all the casino slot machines...
(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.
Restrictions
While the giveaway is essentially identical in each country where it is available, game pieces collected in one country cannot be used in another country.For all versions of the online game, players are allowed to enter 10 codes per day.
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."
If you are related or married to a McDonald's Employee you are unable to participate in the game.