Totopoly is a commercial
board gameA board game is a game in which counters or pieces that are placed on, removed from, or moved across a "board"...
, based on the events leading up to, and during, a
horse raceHorse racing is an equestrian sport that has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot races of Roman times are an early example, as is the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology. It is inextricably associated with gambling...
. Originally made in 1938 by
WaddingtonsWaddingtons was a publisher of card and board games in the United Kingdom. The company was founded by John Waddington of Leeds, England and Wilson Barratt, under the name Waddingtons Limited...
, the game is based on a double-sided board, with each side representing a different half of the game.
In the first section, each player has a set of horses, which start and end this phase in one of two stables. The horses are moved around a loop, and, depending on which squares they land on, the player may collect "advantage" and "disadvantage" cards, which become important in the game's second phase.
Totopoly is a commercial
board gameA board game is a game in which counters or pieces that are placed on, removed from, or moved across a "board"...
, based on the events leading up to, and during, a
horse raceHorse racing is an equestrian sport that has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot races of Roman times are an early example, as is the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology. It is inextricably associated with gambling...
. Originally made in 1938 by
WaddingtonsWaddingtons was a publisher of card and board games in the United Kingdom. The company was founded by John Waddington of Leeds, England and Wilson Barratt, under the name Waddingtons Limited...
, the game is based on a double-sided board, with each side representing a different half of the game.
In the first section, each player has a set of horses, which start and end this phase in one of two stables. The horses are moved around a loop, and, depending on which squares they land on, the player may collect "advantage" and "disadvantage" cards, which become important in the game's second phase. Some horses may be eliminated during this part of the game. An unusual feature is that each player throws the
diceA die or dice is a small polyhedral object, usually cubic, used for generating random numbers or other symbols...
only once in each turn, the same throw being used for all his or her horses.
The
game'sA game is a structured activity, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more concerned with the expression of ideas...
second phase is the actual race. Before starting, bets may be placed on any horse the player wishes. During the race, "advantage" cards may be played to improve a horse's position; also, any "disadvantage" cards held must be used, with the effect of holding a horse back or cancelling an "advantage" card, before the end of the race. As well as the settling of
betsGambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods. Typically, the outcome of the wager is evident within a short period....
, prize
moneyMoney is anything that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts. The main functions of money are distinguished as: a medium of exchange, a unit of account, a store of value, and occasionally, a standard of deferred payment...
is awarded for first, second and third place.
A curious aspect of the game, which some people have regarded as a serious
designDesign is the planning that lays the basis for the making of every object or system. It can be used both as a noun and as a verb and, in a broader way, it means applied arts and engineering . As a verb, "to design" refers to the process of originating and developing a plan for a product,...
flaw, is that (in the original version) the winner was the person whose horse came in first, irrespective of how much money they had. This meant that the part money played in this version of the game was fairly minor, and in particular the elaborate rules for betting, together with the prize money, were actually quite irrelevant. More recent editions of the game have an alteration to the rules, allowing the players to make the winner the one who has most money at the end of the race.
The horses use the names of the winners of the Lincolnshire Handicap between the years 1926-37. The race, which was first run at Lincoln racecourse in 1853, is now (with occasional exceptions) run at Doncaster.