Happy Birthday, Monopoly

One of my favorite board games, Monopoly, turns 80 years old today. Parker Brothers acquired the rights to the game on this day in 1935. Played by an estimated 1 billion people in 114 countries, this greed-driven game pits players against one another as they try to buy up all the property they can, while collecting as much cash as possible. Did you know that Monopoly is based on the actual streets of Atlantic City, N.J.?

As I've played Monopoly over the years, I've discovered that everyone has different tactics or game formulas they like to follow. Some players like to buy up every property they land on as they go around, others like to try and purchase the more expensive ones, like Park Place and Boardwalk, and still others like to buy up the railroads. I've tried each of these ways, and a mix of them as well, and have managed to both win and lose. But I always have fun in the end, and isn't that what playing board games with your family and friends, is all about?