Monopoly Deal Rules

Welcome to the ultimate guide for Monopoly Deal, the faster version of the classic Monopoly board game, without the board! On this website, you’ll find a comprehensive breakdown of the rules, strategies, and tips to master the game.

Note that we collect the rules from official sources where possible – and we list the verified source in our FAQs page, just to confirm the rules are as described below. No make up rules here! Use this guide to collect properties, charge rent, and sabotage your opponents in this thrilling race to victory!

Basic how to play guide

Monopoly Deal is a fast-paced card game where the goal is to be the first player to collect 3 full property sets.

Game Setup:

  1. Players start with 5 cards each after the deck is shuffled. All the cards that are not assigned to players are placed at the center of the table. This is known as the draw pile. The draw pile cards must be all face down.

Gameplay

  1. One player starts the game by picking 2 cards from the draw pile. After picking their cards they choose their plays, 3 plays in total. Plays can be any combination of any of the following:
    • placing money in their bank
    • laying down property cards
    • using action cards
  2. If the player wishes to skip any plays, they can, as long as they end their turn with no more than 7 cards in their hand. If they have more than 7, they must discard any cards of their choosing to the discard pile. The discard pile can be placed next to the draw pile, with the cards facing up (to distinguish from the draw pile).
  3. The game continues clockwise with the next player.

Winner!

  1. The game ends when a player completes 3 full property sets to win the game. For example, dark blue properties requires only 2 cards for a complete set, while the black railroad property set requires 4.

Important things to note:

  1. Cards once played cannot be returned to a player’s hand.
  2. Opponents’ cards cannot be touched. Opponents property cards, including wild cards placed, must have at least the top of the card visible when placed in front of them. They do not need to have the full card visible, only the top of the card showing the color and property value. This can be used to make wild property cards less noticeable.
  3. The game supports 2-5 players, but for more than 5 players, two decks can be combined.
Click here for more comprehensive how to play instructions

General / Key Rules

  1. Cards once played cannot be returned to a player’s hand. This includes cards placed in a users bank, or as part of a property set.
  2. Opponents’ cards cannot be touched. Players can place cards on top of each other, but the top of each card, displaying the property color and name must be visible.
  3. The game supports 2-5 players. For more than 5 players, two decks can be combined.
  4. Using a double the rent card results takes up 2 plays. If you use a rent card as you’re third play during your turn, you can’t use the double the rent card as this would mean a 4th play.
  5. A house can only be placed on top of a full property set, and a hotel only placed on top of a full property set with a house.
  6. Action cards with a monetary value can be added to a users bank, counting as one play during a users turn. This includes wildcards (if they have a monetary value). If paying rent with an action card, the card will remain as money in the recipients bank. It can’t be used as an action card.

Drawing Rules

  1. At the beginning of each player’s turn, they draw 2 cards from the draw pile.
  2. If a player accidentally draws too many cards, the excess cards should be reshuffled back into the draw pile. Only the first/top two cards drawn can be used.
  3. If a player draws a card and places it directly on the table or as part of a property set, this counts as one of their plays.
  4. Players can select cards from the draw pile only, and not from the discard pile.
  • Player running out of cards: If a player runs out of cards during their turn, they do not draw new cards immediately. Instead, they draw 5 new cards at the beginning of their next turn. They must forfeit their unused plays for this turn.
  • No more cards in the draw pile: If the draw pile runs out of cards, shuffle the discard pile to form a new draw pile.
Drawing Rules FAQs

Bank Rules

In Monopoly Deal, the bank is where players store money cards and other valuable cards to pay for various actions. Here are the rules governing the bank:

  • Money can be added to your bank from your hand during your turn only.
  • Each card added to your bank from your hand counts as one play.
  • Money cannot be removed from the bank to your hand. It must always remain on the table. This includes if the money is transferred to another player as a form of payment. It’s moved from one players bank to the other players bank.
  • Action cards (with a monetary value) can be added to your bank, to be used only as a replacement for money.
  • If a player doesn’t have enough money in the bank and they owe rent, the player must pay in property owned instead, from the visible property on the table (and not in their hand). The owner decides which property cards to use as payment, not the player using the action card to collect rent.
  • Players can choose to pay a debt using property from their property sets instead of cash if they wish (confirmation here). If they pay with a property from a property set, it will remain as property on the recipients side. It can’t be used as money in their bank.

Payment / Paying Rent Rules

In Monopoly Deal, payments occur when a player is required to pay another player due to actions such as rent charges, debt collection, or other action cards. Here are the rules governing payments:

  1. When paying, players can use money cards from your bank or property if they wish. Note that action cards that are already added to a players bank are considered as money cards – to their monetary value on the card. These action cards, if used to pay a debt, are considered money and they will remain as money in the recipients bank.
  2. Money and property cards can be combined if necessary to cover payments. If you only have 2M in the bank, and you owe another player 6M, you must give them a property card(s) to make up the additional 4M.
  3. No change is given if you overpay. If you only have 10M in the bank and no property, and you owe another player just 2M, you must give them the 10M money card without receiving any change. You can choose to pay with property if you prefer (confirmation here).

Forced Payment: Players must pay immediately using available money and/or property when required by an action card. It does not have to be their turn to play.

Insufficient Funds: If a player owes rent and doesn’t have the full amount, they must pay as much as they can from their bank and/or their property on the table. They do not pay with any card in their hand, even if they can’t pay the full amount. If they can’t pay the full amount, the debt is considered settled with the player having no cards on the table (but still having cards in their hand). The debt does not pass through to the next turn.

No Card Exchange: Use only money from the bank or property cards, not cards from your hand.

Just Say No: Play this card to cancel an action card that requires payment. Use it once per instance. If a Just Sat No card is used against and rent card and a double the rent card, both cards are considered cancelled.

Payment and Rent FAQs

Action Card Rules

Action cards in Monopoly Deal allow players to perform various actions such as collecting rent, stealing properties, or forcing deals. Here are the rules governing the use of action cards:

  1. Playing Action Cards:
    • Action cards are played during your turn only. Each action card you use counts as one of your 3 card plays per turn.
    • Any action card you play must be placed at the top of the middle discard pile after you play it.
    • Placing an action card to your bank, to be used as money, means the action card will remain as money and cannot be used as an action card anymore. If this action card is used to pay a debt, the receive of the card can only use it as money, and it’s placed in their bank pile.
    • If you realize you won something during another players turn, you must wait until your turn to play.
  2. Types of Action Cards and Their Effects:
    1. Rent Cards: Charge rent based on your property sets.
    2. Deal Breaker: Steal a complete set of properties from another player.
    3. Just Say No: Cancel any action card played against you.
    4. Pass Go: Draw 2 extra cards from the draw pile.
    5. Forced Deal: Swap a property card with another player.
    6. Sly Deal: Steal a single property card from another player (not a full set).
    7. Debt Collector: Force another player to pay you $5M.
    8. It’s My Birthday: Each opponent pays you $2M.
    9. House/Hotel: Add to a property set to increase rent.
  3. Using Action Cards:
    • You can use action cards to interact with other players, charge rent, or enhance your properties.
    • When playing a rent card, specify the property set you are charging rent for.
    • Action cards can also be banked as money (if they have a monetary value in the corner).
  4. Just Say No Card:
    • Can be played at any time to cancel an action played against you. It does not count as one of your players if used during another players turn.
    • Can also cancel another “Just Say No” card.
    • Each player can use this card once per action against them.
    • After using the card, it must be placed in the discard pile.
  5. Action Card Limits:
    • You can play up to 3 cards per turn, which includes action cards.
    • You are not required to play all 3 cards if you choose not to.
  6. Paying for Actions: If an action card requires payment (like rent or debt collector), the paying player must use money from their bank or properties.
  7. Action Card Restrictions:
    • Cards played are final; you cannot take back an action card once it’s played.
    • Follow the specific rules stated on each action card.
  8. Changing your mind: One an action card is placed on the table or shown to others, it cannot be taken back and placed in a users hand.
Action Card FAQs

Property Rules

In Monopoly Deal, property cards are crucial for winning the game. Here are the rules governing their use:

  1. Property cards are played during your turn as one or more of your up to 3 card plays.
  2. Property cards must be placed face-up in your property area in front of you, next to your bank.
  3. You can rearrange your property sets during your turn only. Once your turn ends, your properties must remain as they are until your next turn.
  4. Properties of the same color only can be placed on top of each other on the table in front of you. The top of each property card must be visible for other players. (ie. They cannot be stacked directly on top of each without others being able to view the color and value at the top of the card).
  5. Property cards cannot be banked as money or stored in the bank pile, unless they are wild property cards with a monetary value (source). Property can be used to make payments to other players, instead of, or in addition to money cards when paying rent. This must be taken directly from one or more of your property sets (complete or incomplete) and not from your hand.

Wild Card Properties:

  1. Wild cards can be used as any property within specific sets if the colors defined within the wild card allow it (e.g., a wild card may be used for either light blue or brown).
  2. Multicolor property wildcards can be used as any color property.
  3. Players can move wild cards around as many times as they want as long as it is done during their turn. 
  4. If you have a wild property card, and it’s part of a property set on the table, this can be collected by other players if they have a “Sly Deal” or “Deal Breaker” action card. You can cancel this if you have a “Just Say No” card.

Collecting rent from your property:

  • Wild cards can be used as a property within specific sets, if the colors defined on the wild card allow it (e.g., a wild card may be used for either light blue or brown).
  • Multicolor property wildcards can be used as any color property.
  • Players can move wild cards around as many times as they want as long as it is done during their turn. 
Property FAQs

Just Say No Rules

The “Just Say No” card is a powerful tool in Monopoly Deal, allowing players to cancel actions directed at them. Here are the key rules for using “Just Say No”:

  1. The “Just Say No” card cancels any action card played against you.
  2. If a player uses a “Just Say No” card against your action card, you can counter it with another “Just Say No” card to negate their cancelation.
  3. You can play “Just Say No” at any time when an action card is played against you, including during an opponent’s turn. It does not count as one of your ‘plays’ during your turn.

House & Hotel Rules

Houses and hotels are used to increase the rent value of your property sets. Here are the rules governing houses and hotels:

  1. Houses and hotels are played during your turn as one of your up to 3 card plays.
  2. Each property set can only have one house and one hotel.
  3. You can only add a house to a complete property set.
  4. You can only add a hotel to a property set that already has a house.
  5. When charging rent with a house or hotel, add the corresponding increased rent value to the base rent of the property set.
  6. Houses and hotels must be placed on top of complete property sets.
  7. A hotel further increases the rent of the property set, typically doubling the rent value with the house.
House and Hotel FAQs

Collecting Rent Rules

Rent cards are an essential part of Monopoly Deal, allowing players to collect money from opponents based on the properties they own. Here are the key rules governing rent:

  1. Rent cards are played during your turn as one of your up to 3 card plays.
  2. Standard rent cards specify two color groups (e.g., Dark Blue/Green, Red/Yellow). You can charge rent based on properties you own in either of the two groups.
  3. Wild rent cards can be used to charge rent for any color property group.
  4. Before you charge rent, you can switch a wild property card between your property sets if it’s already part of a property set. This does not count as one of your plays and it can be used to increase your rent.
  5. The amount of rent you can charge depends on the number of properties in the set and whether there are any houses or hotels on the set.
  6. To charge rent, place the rent card face up in the play area as one of your plays. You need to specify the property set for which you are charging rent. Each opponent or a single opponent, depending on the card, must pay you the specified rent amount. If they don’t have enough money in their bank, they must pay with property cards from your property set on the table.
  7. No change given! When collecting rent, overpayment is allowed and your opponent won’t receive change.
  8. Double the Rent: You can play the “Double the Rent” card along with a rent card to double the rent amount you charge for that turn. This card counts as one of your up to 3 card plays for the turn. For example, if you use a “Double the Rent” card with a standard rent card, this will count as 2 plays during your turn.
Payment and Rent FAQs

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Where to buy Monopoly Deal

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