A Monopoly World Champion has shared his top tips for winning your next game—and his first piece of advice is to always buy the ‘orange’ properties.
As the iconic board game celebrates its 90th birthday this year, Jason Bunn, who once won the world title, talked to SWNS news agency about his successful strategies.
His first secret to victory is building upon orange properties because they offer the best return on investment—St. James Place, Tennessee Avenue, and New York Avenue in American editions. (In the UK, the orange locations are Bow Street, Marlborough Street and Vine Street.)
The passionate Monopoly-playing grandfather says you should try to buy everything you land on—even if you don’t want it—because stockpiling properties gives you the upper hand in negotiations.
The 65-year-old has eight more expert tips to help players bankrupt their rivals.
This year marks the 90th anniversary of Parker Brothers buying the rights to Monopoly on March 19, 1935. It should be noted that the game’s concepts were earlier invented—and patented in the U.S.— by an anti-monopolist Quaker named Lizzie Magie who called it The Landlord’s Game and used it to teach the dangers of land monopolization.
“I won the World Championships in the 50th anniversary year—and that seems like a long time ago now,” said Jason, who scooped the titled in 1985.
Jason’s journey to glory began after spotting an advertisement in a local paper calling for entrants to a regional contest. Out of 50 contestants, four were sent to London for the British Championships, but the man from Leeds won, earning him a ticket to New York where he was crowned the World Champion.
From then, his childhood hobby snowballed into a lifelong obsession.
He’s spent more than four decades amassing one of England’s most impressive collections of the board game, and today he owns around 500 boards. Among his treasures is a handmade Welsh edition featuring wooden inlay and solid silver pieces worth $800.
“Whenever I went on holiday, I’d buy the local Monopoly edition like other people buy postcards.” His collection includes themed boards inspired by Star Wars, Game of Thrones, X-Men, Coca-Cola, and even Elvis.
And, new releases are hard to resist: “When I see something new, I just have to have it. I must be the easiest in the world to buy presents for.”
He still plays Monopoly during family gatherings—and insists that the game does not need to drag on for hours. Jason once finished two games in a one-hour lunch break.
In fact, he believes the optimum game time is just 30 minutes, and says that family fights will only erupt because people ignore the official rulebook.
In his opinion, the popularity of the game is stunningly enduring. “What other trademark has been going for so long?”
Jason’s top tips for winning at Monopoly
1. Snap up the orange set
The orange properties offer the best return on investment, especially because players frequently land on them after leaving jail.
2. Build three houses quickly
Getting up to three houses on a set as fast as possible dramatically increases your earning power.
3. Buy everything you land on
Even if you don’t want it, it could be valuable later in negotiations. The real skill in Monopoly is deal-making.
4. Master the art of negotiation
The more properties you hold, the stronger your bargaining position with other players.
5. Use jail strategically
Late in the game, when the board is full of danger spots, staying in jail can actually be a safe haven.
6. Don’t put money on Free Parking
That’s a made-up house rule and not in the official game – it just slows everything down.
7. Stick to the proper rules
Playing correctly makes the game quicker and less argumentative.
8. Use the house shortage to your advantage
There are only 32 houses in the game – building up to four houses on each property can block opponents from developing theirs.
9. Think long-term, not short-term
Every purchase and deal should be about strengthening your overall position on the board.
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