Monopoly is a staple for games nights and family holidays alike – but it turns out that many players are unaware that the streets they squabble over are actually from a real town.
The popular board game is known for its hours-long play time, where players can buy, rent, and trade properties with the goal to drive opponents into bankruptcy and be last player with money.
But the iconic square board is filled with street names and locations which are not, in fact, fictional.
TikTok user Jaaliyah recently revealed that the Monopoly board is actually based on Atlantic City, New Jersey, as she filmed herself driving through the streets that game enthusiasts would easily recognize.
‘This is your reminder that Monopoly is based on Atlantic City,’ she said.
She listed the streets replicated on the famous game, such as ‘Pacific, Atlantic Ave, Baltic, Park Place, Indiana Avenue,’ declaring Atlantic City as ‘literally just Monopoly land.’
While some dismissed the TikTok as common knowledge, the majority of commenters were astounded by the realization.
‘Hello how am I just finding this out?!’ one viewer asked.
Monopoly is a staple for games nights and family holidays alike – but it turns out that many players are unaware that the streets they squabble over are actually from a real town
‘I’m just finding this out now…’ another shared.
‘I’ve been going there for years and never put the two together,’ someone else admitted.
‘Wait what?’ one simply added.
The first official U.S. Monopoly game was set in Atlantic City – but it’s actually based off another game called the Landlord’s Game which was created by Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Magie-Phillips.
Macomb, a small town of nearly 15,000 where Magie-Philips lived, has claimed to be the birthplace of the famous Monopoly game as she lived in the town and the original board design has an uncanny similarity to the town’s square, according to Forgottonia.
Although Magie-Phillips was living in Chicago at the time she got the patent for the game, it has similar features to the town of Macomb, including the jail being located in one of the corners, just like the actual square the small town.
Magie’s game was self-published in 1906, according to Philip E. Orbanes’ 2007 book Monopoly: The World’s Most Famous Game & How It Got That Way.
Her game eventually made it over to the East Coast, where Charles Brace Darrow stole the idea and made millions off it.
The popular board game is known for its hours-long play time, where players can buy, rent, and trade properties with the goal to drive opponents into bankruptcy and be last player with money
The first official U.S. Monopoly game was set in Atlantic City – but it’s actually based off another game called the Landlord’s Game which was created by Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Magie-Phillips (board pictured)
Darrow received the patent for Monopoly in 1935 – 31 years after Magie-Phillips’ original patent and only one month after Magie sold hers to Parker Brothers for a mere $500.
Darrow added the Atlantic City streets as he had vacationed there as a child, using the now iconic names such as Boardwalk, Ventnor, Marvin Gardens.
There are over 300 official Monopoly games, based off different cities and franchises.
Other notable cities that are reportedly going to receive their own version of Monopoly are Cleveland, Kansas City, Nashville, Pittsburgh and Sacramento.
