- McDonald's Monopoly
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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.
Contents
History
Like many merchants, McDonald's offered sweepstakes to draw customers into its restaurants. Laws generally forbid a company from administering its own contests, 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 fraud 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,[1] 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.[1]
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.[2] 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.[3] 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.[citation needed]
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.[4] Investigations later indicated, and Jacobson himself admitted, that he had sent the winning piece to the hospital.[5]
Gameplay
The promotion mimics the game Monopoly. 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 Buy, 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.
Products with game pieces
In 2011, the following products featured game tokens:
USA Canada Big Mac Big Mac (Excludes double Big Mac) Chicken McNuggets (20 pc. or 10 pc.) Chicken McNuggets (20 pc. or 10 pc.) Large French Fries Large French Fries Medium Fountain Drinks Medium and Large Soft Drinks Medium and Large McCafe Drinks (Excludes McCafe Shakes and Large Iced Coffee) Medium and Large Coffees Filet-O-Fish McMuffin 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 (Excludes double Big Mac) Chicken McNuggets (20 pc. or 10 pc.) Chicken McNuggets (20 pc. or 10 pc.) Large French Fries Large French Fries Medium Soft Drinks Medium Cold Drinks Medium and Large McCafe Drinks Medium and Large Hot Drinks Hash Browns McMuffin breakfast sandwiches (excluding Sausage McMuffin) McGriddles McGriddles Filet-O-Fish In 2009, the following products featured game tokens:
USA[6] Canada[7] Angus Burgers Big Mac Chicken McNuggets (20 pc. or 10 pc.) Chicken McNuggets (20 pc. or 10 pc.) Large French Fries Large French Fries Medium & Large Fountain Drinks Large Cold Drink Cups Large Hot McCafe Drinks Angus Burger bacon and cheddar or Angus Burger Hash Browns McMuffin breakfast sandwiches (excluding Sausage McMuffin) 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 Mac
- Premium Chicken Sandwiches
- Large French Fries
- Medium & Large Fountain Drinks
- Hash Browns
In 2007, the following products featured game tokens:
- Big Mac
- McMuffin Sandwiches
- Large French Fries
- 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.[8]
Rare pieces
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 System & 5 Games Vermont Avenue 324 $100 753 $100 104 $1,000 254 $1,000 804 $500 3604 $500 5004 4004 Xbox Video Game System Package 1004 Samsung 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 Service/Sony 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 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 HD LCD TV & Home Theater System 1020 Samsung Plasma Digital TV Boardwalk 342 $1,000,000 (annuity) 771 $1,000,000 (annuity) 122 $1,000,000 (annuity) 274 $1,000,000 (annuity) 822 $1,000,000 (annuity) 3622 $1,000,000 (annuity) 5022 $1,000,000 (annuity) 4022 $1,000,000 (annuity) 1022 $1,000,000 (annuity) Short Line 346 EA SPORTS Trip 775 EA SPORTS Trip 126 $500 278 $500 826 $5,000,000 (annuity) 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 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 500x 170 property 330 instant Wiener Straße & Berliner Straße 910 & 911 Audi A3 Cabriolet 100x 90 property 10 instant Museumstraße 913 Nintendo Wii 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. 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.[9]
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.
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."[10]
If you are related or married to a McDonald's Employee you are unable to participate in the game.
References
- ^ a b FBI arrests 8 in fraud scheme targeting McDonald's game, CNN, 21 August 2001.
- ^ Associated Press. Twenty-one indicted in McDonald's scam, St. Petersburg Times, 11 September 2001.
- ^ McDonald's to Pay Simon $16.6 Million Settlement
- ^ Donor Turns Fast Food Into Big Bucks For Hospital, The New York Times.
- ^ St. Judes' Mystery Million Came From Embezzler, CNN transcript, 11 September 2001.
- ^ http://monopoly.promotions.com/monopoly09/front.do
- ^ http://monopoly.promotions.com/monopoly09ca/front.do?lang=en
- ^ http://monopoly.promotions.com/monopoly08/info.do?pg=rules&gf=t
- ^ http://www.bizzia.com/behindthebuzz/monopoly-at-mcdonalds/
- ^ http://www.playatmcd.com/Official-Rules.aspx
External links
- Official American McDonald's Monopoly site
- Official Canadian McDonald's Monopoly site
- Official Polish McDonald's Monopoly site
- Official Singapore McDonald's Monopoly website
- Details and rare ticket information for the UK 2011 competition
- Convictions erased for four men in McDonald's scam
McDonald's People Richard and Maurice McDonald · Ray Kroc · Joan Kroc · Ralph Alvarez · Charlie Bell · Jim Cantalupo · George Cohon · Don Gorske · Jack M. Greenberg · Jim Skinner · Donald N. Smith · Fred L. Turner · Michael R. Quinlan · Al Bernardin · Herb Peterson · Willard ScottCompany Products BeefChickenOtherAdvertising CampaignsGlobal Gladiators · Golden Arches · Mac and Me · Mac Tonight · McDonaldland · McDonald's Monopoly · McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure · M.C. Kids · Ronald McDonald · Supersize · Teenie Beanies · Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonaldSponsorshipsRelated subjectsBurger Wars · Fast food advertisingOtherFranchises Criticism Legal cases Other Annual revenue
US$24.075 billion (2010) · Employees 400,000 (2010) · Stock symbol NYSE: MCD · Website mcdonalds.comMonopoly: The Classic Real Estate Game Overall history Game designers &
early publishersElizabeth "Lizzie" Magie · Scott Nearing · Charles Darrow · Rexford Tugwell
Louis Thun · Ferdinand Thun · Daniel W. Layman · Ruth Hoskins · Charles Todd · Rudy CopelandRelated games Hasbro Monopoly
and licenseesMonopoly · Parker Brothers · Hasbro · Waddingtons · Winning Moves · Chance and Community Chest cards · Get Out of Jail Free card · Rich Uncle Pennybags · USAopolyModern variants Spin-off games Board/dice gamesCard gamesSee also Anti-Monopoly · Ralph Anspach · McDonald's Monopoly · Pinball Game · Monopoly Tycoon · Game Show · Monopoly Party · Video Game · Monopoly City StreetsCategories:
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