McDonald’s Monopoly Is Back, Bringing Big Prizes and a Notorious Piece of Fast-Food History

It’s that time of year again. McDonald’s is reviving its popular Monopoly promotion, giving customers another shot at winning everything from free menu items to life-changing cash prizes.

The fast-food giant announced that the game returns on Oct. 6, featuring a mix of instant-win prizes and collectible game pieces that can be combined for larger rewards. Among the top prizes are a new Jeep, $1 million in cash, and a year of free McDonald’s awarded through a $1,040 gift card. Other prizes include vacations, rewards points, gift cards, and various cash awards.

This year’s promotion will also include the Chance Card Game, which offers additional opportunities to win. Prizes in that game include gift cards, college debt relief, money toward a home down payment, and cash.

To participate, customers must register through the McDonald’s app, opt in to the MyMcDonald’s Rewards program, and pre-register for the promotion. Beginning Oct. 6, game pieces will appear on select menu items. Players can scan those pieces into the app to collect Monopoly properties, redeem prizes, and determine whether they have won a Chance Card reward.

The promotion has been one of McDonald’s most recognizable marketing campaigns for decades, creating excitement around everything from french fries to soft drinks. But the game also carries a fascinating and infamous chapter in fast-food history.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, a massive fraud scheme quietly undermined the promotion. According to federal investigators, Jerome Jacobson, a security executive working for the company responsible for distributing McDonald’s game pieces, stole many of the winning pieces before they reached restaurants. He then distributed them to friends, relatives, and associates in exchange for a share of the winnings.

The scheme operated for years before it was uncovered by the FBI in 2001. Authorities said millions of dollars in prizes had been fraudulently claimed, and numerous people were eventually convicted in connection with the operation. The bizarre scandal became the subject of the popular HBO documentary series “McMillions,” which chronicled how one insider managed to rig what millions of customers believed was a random game of chance.

Today, McDonald’s says the promotion includes updated security measures and digital features designed to make gameplay easier and more secure. Despite the infamous scandal, Monopoly remains one of the most anticipated restaurant promotions of the year, drawing customers eager to see whether their next order could come with a prize worth far more than a burger and fries.