‘Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200’. Even if you have never played Monopoly, these words will be familiar to you. Of all the iconic imagery and phrases that have been born from the game of Monopoly, the famous ‘Go’ square must be right up there as one of the best known.
But, what actually happens when you pass Go? And how else is this square important? Read on to find out.
Monopoly Pass Go Rules
- Every time you land on ‘Go’ or pass the space, you get $200
- You do not have to stop at ‘Go’ – hence the term ‘pass Go’
- Some cards will stop you collecting salary – they read “Do not pass Go do not collect $200”
- If you get a Monopoly Go to Jail card or you land on the Go to Jail space you also do not collect your salary from the Go space.
What happens when you pass Go in Monopoly?
In Monopoly every time you pass Go, you receive $200 from the Bank. You receive this salary once on each trip around the Monopoly game board.
The $200 award is only collected once you have completed one whole trip around the board (and from then onwards). Your playing token will start on the Go square but you do not immediately collect $200.
Do you get $200 every time you pass Go?
You get $200 every time that you pass Go in Monopoly. The more times that you pass Go, the more salary you collect. You collect $200 every time your token lands on or passes Go, whether by throwing the dice or by drawing a card.
The only time that you don’t collect $200 is when you’re sent to jail by a Chance or Community Chest card. This card clearly states that you ‘Go directly to Jail, do not pass Go’. Since you don’t pass Go in this instance, it is still true that you get $200 every time that you pass Go.
Do you have to stop at Go?
You do not have to stop at Go in Monopoly. The Go square acts like any other so if you roll the exact number to land on Go, then you would stop. Otherwise, you carry on as per the number that you have rolled on the dice.
The Go space isn’t like a traffic light so you don’t have to stop there. You just keep on moving the number of spaces as shown on the dice.
What happens when you land on Go?
When you land on Go in Monopoly, you collect $200 as your salary. The rules state that you collect this when your token lands on or passes Go, so you do not have to wait until you have actually passed Go.
By earning a salary in this way you will have a source of income that does not rely on collecting rent from the other players. This will give you something to replenish your funds if you need to pay rent, taxes, or fines.
Suggested read: What Happens If You Land On Go In Monopoly?
When you land on Go do you get $400?
According to the official Monopoly rules, you do not get $400 when you land on Go. You collect $200 for passing Go or landing on Go – there is no official rule that states you get any extra for landing exactly on the Go square.
You may have heard that you collect double your salary if you land on the Go square, or that you get $200 when you land on it and another $200 on your next go when you pass it.
You may even have played it this way all your life, always hoping for the extra bonus salary if you land on the otherwise boring Go square. Well, I am sorry to say that this is not in the official Monopoly rules so you shouldn’t really be getting any extra salary.
But, it is one of the more commonly used Monopoly house rules so it may be that your family and friends have always used this rule. They may well even think that it is in the official rules, but if you have a look you will find that it’s not there (Don’t feel bad, nearly three-quarters of players have never read the rules!).
I wouldn’t recommend you use this rule. The official rules are carefully balanced so that the game doesn’t drag on for hours.
Suggested read: 16 Little-known Monopoly Rules That Everyone Gets Wrong
What does ‘Advance To Go’ mean?
The are Chance cards and Community Chest cards in Monopoly that instruct a player to ‘Advance to Go (Collect $200)’. If you draw this card you move your playing token to the Go square and collect your $200 salary as you normally would.
This card is another source of confusion over collecting $400 if you land on the Go square. Some people believe that you get $200 as instructed by the card and another $200 when you pass go. This is not the case.
The rules specifically state that you collect $200 when you land on or pass the Go tile whether by rolling the dice or by drawing a card.
What does ‘Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200’ mean?
‘Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200’ is stated on the ‘Go to Jail’ card that is found in both the Chance and Community Chest cards in a Monopoly set. It is a clarification that you must go straight to jail and cannot collect your salary on the way.
If you’re unlucky enough to draw the ‘Go to Jail’ card it clearly states that you must go directly to jail without passing Go and without collecting your salary.
Once you get out of jail you will continue from the Jail square so will have quite a long way to go before you next pass Go and collect your next salary.
The Bottom Line
So, there you have it. I think I have covered everything you could ever need to know about passing Go in Monopoly.
So, over to you, it is time to get out your Monopoly set and start collecting your $200 salary every time you pass Go!
And remember – landing on Go is the same as passing it, unless you’re using Monopoly house rules.
