<p>Being in prison means that a player can't MOVE. But it doesn't prevent him or her from doing anything else.</p>

<p>That means that these players can trade properties, build houses/hotels, or buy property at auction.</p>

<p>It is, of course legal to buy a property at auction for $1, but Joe would have to outbid all other players, whether or not in jail.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-01-19T16:22:56.063Z
2013-11-18T19:11:44.553Z
2013-11-18T19:11:44.553Z
Tom Au
<p>"<a href="http://richard_wilding.tripod.com/monorules.htm#buyingproperty">Anyone can bid in an auction</a>, including the one who declined the option to buy it at the printed price."</p>

<p>Also, <a href="http://www.hasbro.com/common/instruct/monins.pdf">more official rules PDF</a>.</p>

<p>From other forums I have visited, it seems as though most people do not play by the rules, the entire rules, and nothing but the rules...</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-25T18:46:58.430Z
Thanks for the answer. It clearly says that in the rules. The problem was, we were playing some Monopoly "clone" game that had a bit different rules, and there was one stating "you cannot buy property, houses or hotels while in jail". I'm not sure if it also disallowed collecting rent. Anyway, I'm not a big enthusiast of Monopoly, so I didn't think the rules may differ from the original.
beam022
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-25T20:10:32.420Z
That's interesting... So the game (board, pieces, money, etc) was entirely a "knockoff"??
The Chaz 2.0
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-25T20:15:18.130Z
Exactly. With slightly changed rules (for worse), as it appears...
beam022
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-18T23:58:49.357Z
In that case it sounds like in this knockoff, what he did was legal (assuming that the knockoff still has a rule that if the person who lands on a property doesn't want to buy it; it goes to auction.
GendoIkari
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-26T17:43:10.580Z
@beam022 Did the knockoff still allow for auctions?
Sparr
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-04T12:13:20.207Z
@Sparr Sorry for answering after such a long time. Yes, the knockoff allowed for auctions, but didn't allow players in jail to buy properties.
beam022
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-25T18:33:49.557Z
2012-10-25T18:38:50.547Z
2012-10-25T18:38:50.547Z
The Chaz 2.0
<p>This happened in one of the Monopoly games I had a while ago.</p>

<p>It was a 3-player game. Two players were in prison when the incident occurred. The third player (let's call him Joe) landed on the unowned property in his turn. This is what he said:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>I don't want to buy it for the base price. Therefore, the property should go to an auction. I'm willing to bid $1 for this property. No-one else can bid, since both of you are in prison, so - I won the auction.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>Is this legal in the game of Monopoly?</strong></p>

<monopoly>
Is it legal to buy property for $1 in Monopoly when other players are in prison?
beam022
# Is it legal to buy property for $1 in Monopoly when other players are in prison?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-10-25)

This happened in one of the Monopoly games I had a while ago.

It was a 3-player game. Two players were in prison when the incident occurred. The third player (let's call him Joe) landed on the unowned property in his turn. This is what he said:

> I don't want to buy it for the base price. Therefore, the property should go to an auction. I'm willing to bid $1 for this property. No-one else can bid, since both of you are in prison, so - I won the auction.

**Is this legal in the game of Monopoly?**

**Tags:** monopoly


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2012-10-25. Score: 39 | Accepted answer

"[Anyone can bid in an auction](http://richard_wilding.tripod.com/monorules.htm#buyingproperty), including the one who declined the option to buy it at the printed price."

Also, [more official rules PDF](http://www.hasbro.com/common/instruct/monins.pdf).

From other forums I have visited, it seems as though most people do not play by the rules, the entire rules, and nothing but the rules...

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the answer. It clearly says that in the rules. The problem was, we were playing some Monopoly "clone" game that had a bit different rules, and there was one stating "you cannot buy property, houses or hotels while in jail". I'm not sure if it also disallowed collecting rent. Anyway, I'm not a big enthusiast of Monopoly, so I didn't think the rules may differ from the original.  
> **username_2**: That's interesting... So the game (board, pieces, money, etc) was entirely a "knockoff"??  
> **username_0**: Exactly. With slightly changed rules (for worse), as it appears...  
> **username_3**: In that case it sounds like in this knockoff, what he did was legal (assuming that the knockoff still has a rule that if the person who lands on a property doesn't want to buy it; it goes to auction.  
> **username_4**: @username_0 Did the knockoff still allow for auctions?  
> **username_0**: @username_4 Sorry for answering after such a long time. Yes, the knockoff allowed for auctions, but didn't allow players in jail to buy properties.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-01-19. Score: 17

Being in prison means that a player can't MOVE. But it doesn't prevent him or her from doing anything else.

That means that these players can trade properties, build houses/hotels, or buy property at auction.

It is, of course legal to buy a property at auction for $1, but Joe would have to outbid all other players, whether or not in jail.


---

