Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard You Might Enjoy: The Big Flop
May 22, 2025
Dive into the wild tale of the McDonald's Monopoly scandal, where a security chief pulled off a mind-blowing fraud. Discover how millions were lured by a game designed for fun, only to be duped by greed. The comedic hosts unravel the absurdity behind this iconic marketing failure, asking the burning question: who thought this was a good idea? It's a rollercoaster of pop culture mishaps and insider schemes you won't want to miss!
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Inside Job on Monopoly Prizes
- McDonald's Monopoly game promised million-dollar prizes attached to everyday purchases like Big Macs.
- Jerome Jacobson, the security chief, exploited this by stealing top prize pieces, making it a multiyear scam.
Players Faced Endless Disappointment
- The Monopoly game kept players hunting similar pieces without ever winning, causing widespread frustration.
- Comedians Ify Wadiwe and Beth Stelling share personal memories of repetitive and disappointing game experiences.
Genius Game Turned Multimillion Scam
- The collaboration between McDonald's and Monopoly was initially brilliant marketing, with huge prizes like houses and cars.
- However, over time the game's operational vulnerabilities led to a $24 million fraud scandal.