Six Strategies to Improve Your Chances of Securing a Win in the 2022 U.K. McDonald's Monopoly.
The Poker-style game McDonald's Monopoly made its debut in the USA in 1987. Since then, it has gained a massive fan base all around the world, from South Korea to South Africa and from Romania to Brazil.
In the UK, the game was first introduced in 2005, and it has since become a renowned yearly occurrence. Many people now know about the competition and participate regularly in the hopes of winning grand prizes, while smaller consolation prizes, such as free food, aren't half bad either.
McDonald's has announced the return of the Monopoly to the UK this fall. Although the specific dates have not been disclosed, it is expected to take place in September and October, lasting around six weeks, like previous games.
McDonald's Monopoly is entirely random, which means there is no way to ensure success. However, there are some methods that many players claim can enhance their chances of winning, whether it's the highly coveted cash prizes or a bucket of free chicken nuggets.
How McDonald's Monopoly Operates
The McDonald's Monopoly game is a highly effective marketing campaign where players get game tokens in the form of stickers from certain McDonald's products.
These game tokens are themed after the traditional Monopoly properties and stations, like Marylebone Station. To win a prize, you need to accumulate a complete set of properties. For instance, obtaining the largest prize calls for a full dark blue set, which requires both the Mayfair and Park Lane game tokens.
One of each set is usually a rare sticker, making it a significant challenge to complete the set and win a prize. The 2022 prize list has not yet been announced, but in the 2021 edition, prizes included a hot tub (red set), vacations to Ibiza (green set), and a £100,000 cash prize (ultra-rare dark blue set).
There are also 'Instant Win' stickers, which are prizes that can be claimed without collecting other game tokens. These typically come in the form of free McDonald's food but offer various other prizes, too.
Every sticker also comes with a 12-digit code that can be entered online or through the McDonald's app. By submitting this code, you instantly enter the digital prize draw, where two cash prizes (ranging from £5-£100) are won every minute.
6 Ways To Increase Your Chances Of Winning
1. Create A Team
Maximizing your win probability in McDonald's Monopoly is effortless: Buy more McDonald's items for access to more game tokens.
Although this can be costly and time-consuming, an alternative option is joining forces with friends to pool your resources and boost your chances of completing a set. Any cash prize can then be evenly divided among team members.
Remember, splitting a hot tub or other prizes might present a challenge. It would be best to arrange this before entering the competition together.
2. Prioritize Healthier Choices
Not all McDonald's items have the same number of game tokens. While some items have three, others have two, and certain products have none.
Healthier options, such as fruit and vegetable bags, come with three tokens, whereas other sides like fries only have two stickers. All soft drinks provide three tokens, while many burgers and wraps do as well. You can gather up to nine game pieces per order, so it's crucial to choose meals wisely.
Avoid ordering something with no tokens. While some may be attracted to ostensibly healthier options, it might be worth substituting something for a healthy side or adding a soft drink to maximize your token allocation.
3. Enter The Digital Draw During Unsophisticated Hours
While the ultimate goal of McDonald's Monopoly players is to complete a property set and win a grand prize, the digital cash prize draw shouldn't be overlooked.
Although much smaller than grand prizes, winning a digital cash prize can be a more straightforward process owing to the significant volume of prizes – two are won every minute unfailingly.
Since the number of cash prizes given away per minute doesn't change regardless of the number of participants, the optimal way to increase your chances of winning the digital prize draw is by entering during less busy times. To achieve this, some players even opt for bizarre timings, like late at night or early in the morning, to ensure they enter when the fewest number of people are participating.
4. Utilize Data Sets
Some players monitor the price of individual stickers on sites like eBay to help inform their playing strategy. This helps them understand what cards have low drop rates (i.e., are super-rare) and which ones they should prioritize.
5. Collect Specific Properties
Certain properties are more likely to appear during specific years or in specific areas. For example, over the past six years, the Houseman's Holdings (brown collection), which contains Old Kent Road, Whitechapel Road, Northumberland Avenue, Bow Street, and Strand, has had a notably higher drop rate than other sets.
As such, players may consider focusing their efforts on properties that have had higher drop rates in the past.
6. Participate on the First Day
Game tokens are typically distributed more evenly on the opening day. Consequently, players may try to enter the competition as soon as it starts to maximize their chances of completing a set, particularly for more elusive properties like the ultra-rare dark blue set, which requires both Mayfair and Park Lane game pieces.
Seeking out empty bottles and packaging can provide an easy, no-cost method to boost your chances of acquiring a valuable game piece, digital code, or instant prize claim.
Additionally, you could attempt to ask other customers at the food establishment if you can have their unused game pieces. Yet, remember that while legal, this act might not be well-received by McDonald's employees.
5. Value the Rarity of Stickers
In McDonald's Monopoly property sets, there's a significant difference in the quantity of common and rare game pieces. For example, during the 2021 promotion, Park Lane stickers were plentiful. However, completing the dark blue collection and claiming a £100,000 cash reward required a Mayfair sticker, with only four in existence.
An essential aspect of the game is recognizing which stickers are uncommon, as they have an impact on your overall playing strategy. If you find a Mayfair sticker early on, it'd be wise to keep acquiring McDonald's products until you locate the more common Park Lane sticker. On the other hand, if you found the Park Lane sticker first, it may not be prudent to seek the rare Mayfair sticker in a similar fashion.
Below is the list of 2022's rare stickers. Obtaining one could signal the focus to complete that set:
- Dark blue: Mayfair
- Train stations: Liverpool St Station
- Red: Strand
- Yellow: Coventry Street
- Green: Bond Street
- Orange: Marlborough Street
- Light blue: Euston Road
- Pink: Northumberland Avenue
- Brown: Old Kent Road
6. Exchange Stickers with Others
Due to various players focusing on numerous property sets, there's a natural emergence of a marketplace for game piece trading. This could involve informal sticker swaps with family and friends or using public Facebook groups. Reports indicate some individuals even attempt to sell desirable game pieces on eBay.
Trading with unknown individuals does pose risks. The stickers could be used, from previous years, or potentially counterfeit.
Thus, it's suggested to only swap game pieces with folks you know personally.
Let's not forget about the bad players lurking out there. Recall the ex-cop who upended the game and pocketed millions over 20 years ago?
Of Course, It's All Up to Luck
Ultimately, the McDonald's Monopoly is a promotion organized by the company with the primary purpose of boosting sales and profits.
As such, the likelihood of winning major prizes is highly minimal, and investing excessive time and money into the game could be risky.
Ultimately, the outcome of this game type relies largely on sheer luck, but these tips could potentially assist in garnering you a top prize.
Lead image: Brett Jordan via Unsplash
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