Just about everyone knows the game Monopoly and how to play it, even though most might never have actually read the rules. Here are some well-known myths.

The board game Monopoly has been around since 1936, when Parker Brothers released the official game. While its beginnings aren’t as clear, Monopoly has become the world’s best selling game.

The first myth of the game has nothing to do with game play, so it won’t be counted in the top ten. Everyone who has loved Monopoly knows Charles Darrow created this game during the depression and eventually convinced Parker Brothers to buy it, making him the first millionaire game inventor. While it is true that Darrow manufactured thousands of the games himself before Parker Brothers bought him out, he is not the person who originally created the game.

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Over two decades before Darrow, Lizzie Magie filed a patent for a board game that looked remarkably similar to Monopoly. Back then it didn’t have street names, which Darrow did add, but dates don’t lie. Magie is the actual creator of the game.

Myth #1 All Players Must Pass Go First

It is unclear how most of the game play myths were first created, but this one is probably the strangest. Many people feel that their game pieces must make a full round of the board before he/she is allowed to purchase any property. Why? This would simply increase the time of an already lengthy game. Totally unnecessary and it’s not in the rules. Not sure? Read the rules again.

Myth #2 When the Bank Runs out of Money, Game Ends

While this might be a good way to end the game if it goes on too long, it is stated in the official rules that the bank cannot run out of money. If it does, the banker can use regular paper and write the amount of currency on them until its cash reserves have been restored.

Myth #3 Whoever lands on Free Parking gets Free Cash

This is probably everyone’s favorite myth, and even my family still does this. In actuality, Free Parking is merely a free spot on the board where the player has no fear of owing anyone for anything. While it can be fun to put jail fees or other small fees on this spot to give a lucky player a windfall, doing this all the time could break the bank. This of course guarantees the second myth already discussed.

Myth #4 If Player Declines to buy Property, he Cannot Join Auction

All players are allowed to join any auction, whether or not they were the ones who landed on the property to be auctioned. Declining to buy the deed outright might even save the original player the full cost of the property.

Myth #5 If Player is Sent to Jail after Three Doubles, it is Still His Turn

While doubles guarantees the player another throw, no on can throw the dice more than three times. If that third time is a double, player will end up jail. There he must wait until it is his turn again.

Myth #6 Houses can be Built on a Property Even if the Others are Mortgaged

Since no property can be mortgaged until all hotels and houses are sold, this is impossible. It is also impossible to build a hotel on one of the properties without also building the others in that monopoly group by the same amount. For instance, no player can have one house on Park Place and a hotel on Boardwalk. Houses/hotels must be bought and sold in equal increments.

Myth #7 Houses and Hotels can Only be Purchased during that Player’s Turn

As long as no one is throwing the dice, anyone can add to his/her property during game play. So if an opposing player is close to an expensive monopoly on his/her next throw, the owner of those properties can increase them to hotels before the opposing player throws the dice. Of course, the owner can’t wait until the doomed player hits said property and then decide to increase to hotels. That would have to wait until the player has finished his turn.

Myth #8 Players can only Lose to other Players

If a player does not have any property to mortgage or enough cash to pay a debt owed to the bank, said player can lose to the bank. For instance by luxury tax or one of the higher paying Community Chest or Chance cards. If this should happen, all property handed over to the bank would be auctioned off to any remaining players.

Myth #9 Players can Give Bankrupt Players a Loan to Keep them in the Game

Only the bank can give players loans, and that is only through mortgaging owned property. Newer versions of Monopoly as well as the Electronic Monopoly might allow larger loans, but these are not included in the original Monopoly game.

Myth #10 As long as There are Hotels for Sale, I can Still Build

It doesn’t matter how many hotels are available. There has to be enough houses for sale before someone can upgrade to a hotel. So if a player only has 2 houses on each of his three properties, he would need nine more houses to make a hotel. If there are only 8 houses left, he cannot upgrade to hotels. At least not until someone else is forced to sell their houses.

There are undoubtedly other game-playing myths, as well as those who ignore the rules and have created their own. No matter how Monopoly is played, the board game will always be fun and entertaining. Do you have any myths to add to this list?