A New Survey Reveals Just How Popular Monopoly Still Is in America

According to YouGov, Monopoly continues to dominate game night in America, even if most of us have never actually made it to the end of a full game.

Get our free mobile app

A new poll found that only 5% of American adults say they've never played Monopoly. That means an overwhelming 95% of us have spent at least some time buying up properties, building hotels, and accusing family members of making shady deals.

More than half of respondents—53%—said they've played Monopoly many times throughout their lives. Another 28% have played several times, while 12% say they've only played once or twice. Perhaps the most surprising statistic is that 3% of people weren't even sure whether they've played Monopoly. That's either a sign of a very long game night or a very forgettable one.

The survey also found that board games remain remarkably popular overall. About one in five Americans said they absolutely love board games, while another 44% said they like them. Nearly 30% felt neutral about gathering around a game board, and only 6% said they actively dislike or hate board games.

The results suggest that board games are one of the rare forms of entertainment that appeal to almost everyone, regardless of age. However, different generations tend to gravitate toward different titles.

Younger adults are more likely to be fans of modern strategy games like Catan, Ticket to Ride, Wingspan, and Azul. Meanwhile, older Americans tend to stick with the classics they grew up with, including Scrabble and Yahtzee.

The poll also dug into one of the biggest questions surrounding game night: How much does winning actually matter?

For a small but passionate group of players, the answer is "a lot." Thirteen percent of Americans said winning is very important to them when they play board games. Not surprisingly, that competitive streak is most common among adults under 30. Another 31% said winning is somewhat important, while the rest appear to be more interested in the social aspect of playing.

Of course, Monopoly may be America's most-played board game, but it might also be America's least-finished board game. If you've ever flipped the board, stormed away from the table, or called it a night before someone finally went bankrupt, you're definitely not alone.