Edition: Classic Danish Matador from 1976 with Danish streets, 30,000 kroner in starting cash and 4,000 kroner for passing Start. Last checked October 25, 2026
Matador Rules: How to Play the Danish Monopoly
Matador is Denmark's own property trading game, a close cousin of Monopoly with Danish streets, breweries and shipping lines instead of railroads and utilities. In Denmark it is as much a family classic as Monopoly is in the US. Here are the rules in short, plus answers to the questions that start arguments at the table.
- Players
- 2 to 6
- Age
- 8 and up
- Playing time
- 2 to 4 hours
How to win: Be the last player who has not gone bankrupt. In the short version, the richest player wins when time is up.
Who is right?
The classic arguments at the table when you play Matador, the Danish Monopoly.
Do you get the money in the middle when you land on Free Parking?
No.
Free Parking (Parkering) is a safe space where nothing happens. Taxes and fines are paid to the bank, not into a pot on the board.
Many families collect taxes and fines in the middle of the board and give the pot to whoever lands on Free Parking, just like the popular Monopoly house rule. It puts more money in play and makes the game longer.
Does a property go to auction if you do not want to buy it?
Yes.
If the player will not pay full price, the bank auctions the property immediately and every player can bid.
Many families skip the auction so the property just stays unsold. That slows the game down because properties sell later.
Can you collect rent while you are in jail?
No.
In Matador you cannot collect rent while in jail, but you may still buy and trade. This is one of the big differences from Monopoly, where you can collect rent from jail.
Some families let jailed players collect rent like in Monopoly. Agree on it before you start.
Do houses have to be spread evenly across a color group?
Yes.
There can be no more than one house difference between streets in the same color group. You build one at a time across the group, and you sell the same way.
Some families let players build freely, for example four houses on the most expensive street right away. That makes the game faster and tougher.
Do you lose the rent if you forget to ask for it?
Yes.
The owner has to ask for the rent. Once the next player has rolled, it is too late.
In many families everyone helps each other remember the rent, especially when playing with kids.
What you need
- Game board
- 2 dice
- Player tokens
- Title deeds for streets, shipping lines and breweries
- Chance cards (Prøv lykken)
- Play money in kroner
- Green houses and red hotels
Setup
- 1Pick one player to be the banker, who handles the bank's money, title deeds and buildings.
- 2Each player gets 30,000 kroner from the bank.
- 3Shuffle the Chance cards and place them face down on the board.
- 4Put all tokens on Start. Whoever rolls highest goes first.
How to play
- 1Roll both dice and move forward that many spaces.
- 2If you land on an unowned street, shipping line or brewery, you may buy it for the price printed on the board.
- 3If you do not want to buy it, the bank auctions it right away and every player can bid.
- 4If you land on a property someone else owns, you pay rent according to their title deed. The owner has to remember to ask for it.
- 5Every time you pass or land on Start, you collect 4,000 kroner from the bank.
- 6If you roll doubles, roll again. Roll doubles three times in a row and you go straight to jail.
- 7Once you own every street in a color group, you may build houses and later hotels on them.
- 8If you are short on cash, sell buildings back to the bank at half price or mortgage your streets.
- 9If you cannot pay what you owe, you are bankrupt and out of the game.
Jail
You go to jail if you land on the Go to Jail space, draw a card that sends you there, or roll doubles three times in a row. If you simply land on the jail space, you are just visiting.
- You do not collect 4,000 kroner when you are sent to jail, even if you pass Start on the way.
- To get out, pay 1,000 kroner before you roll, use a Get Out of Jail card, or roll doubles.
- If you have not rolled doubles after your third try, pay 1,000 kroner and move.
- While in jail you may still buy and trade, but you cannot collect rent.
Houses and hotels
- You must own every street in a color group before you can build.
- If you own the whole group with no buildings, rent on those empty streets is doubled.
- Build evenly. You may not put a second house on a street until every street in the group has one, and so on.
- A hotel requires four houses on every street in the group. The houses go back to the bank when the hotel goes up.
- If the bank runs out of buildings, you have to wait. If several players want the last ones, they are auctioned.
Mortgages and taxes
- Only streets without buildings can be mortgaged. The bank pays you the mortgage value shown on the title deed.
- To lift the mortgage, pay back the amount plus 10 percent interest.
- A mortgaged property collects no rent.
- For income tax, you choose to pay 4,000 kroner or 10 percent of everything you own. You must choose before you count it up.
House rules
Pick the rules you want to play with tonight. Everyone at the table has to agree.
Our Matador, the Danish Monopoly rules for tonight
Everything else follows the official rules.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do you start with in Matador?
Each player starts with 30,000 kroner and collects 4,000 kroner every time they pass Start.
How do you get out of jail in Matador?
Pay 1,000 kroner before you roll, use a Get Out of Jail card, or roll doubles. After three failed tries you must pay 1,000 kroner and move.
Can players lend each other money in Matador?
No. Players may not lend money to each other. You can sell buildings to the bank, mortgage streets, or trade properties with other players.
What is the difference between Matador and Monopoly?
Matador is the Danish version of the same idea, with Copenhagen streets, prices in kroner, shipping lines instead of railroads and breweries instead of utilities. Some rules differ too. For example, you cannot collect rent from jail in Matador, and income tax can be paid as 10 percent of your total wealth.
Source: The rulebook for classic Danish Matador and common Danish family tradition. The rules are written in our own words. Ask the referee if you are unsure.