LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 20, 2009-- Forty-one of the world’s best MONOPOLY players will go head-to-head to compete for the title of 2009 MONOPOLY World Champion starting Wednesday, October 21. In addition to winning international bragging rights, the winner of the 2009 MONOPOLY World Championships at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas will receive $20,580 USD, the equivalent of the “bank” in a standard MONOPOLY game.

The reigning World Champion, Antonio Zafra Fernandez, a 41-year-old laboratory technician from Spain, hopes to retain the title, but he will be playing against a new group of tycoons in training. Only two other competitors, Leon Hechtman, a 26-year-old construction project manager from Australia, and Hans-Georg Schellinger, a 45-year-old refrigeration service technician from Germany, competed at the 2004 MONOPOLY World Championships in Tokyo. However, one newcomer is no stranger to international competition. Fay Whistler, a 31-year-old taxi driver from England won an international tournament on the popular casual gaming site Pogo.com™ to represent the strength of virtual MONOPOLY players at the World Championships.

“The tournament in Las Vegas marks the 13th MONOPOLY World Championships and we are excited to bring the fun and excitement of competitive MONOPOLY play to the entertainment capital of the world,” said Helen Martin, Global Brand Leader for MONOPOLY Brand. “Once the first roll of the dice happens, the title is up for grabs! All of the players are prepared to negotiate and trade their way into bankrupting their opponents in a speedy 75-minutes or less.”

Competitors qualified for the tournament by winning their respective national championship. The world tournament consists of three preliminary rounds and the 16 players earning the highest point totals will move to the semi-final round. The four players who win their respective games by bankrupting all of their opponents will move on to the final game.

There will be frequent updates on Twitter, @MonopolyWorlds, Facebook, www.facebook.com/monopoly, and on the Monopoly YouTube Channel, www.youtube.com/monopolychampionship.

Players from the following countries will be competing in Las Vegas: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, and Ukraine.

For more information, please visit www.monopoly.com

About HASBRO

Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS) is a worldwide leader in children’s and family leisure time products and services with a rich portfolio of brands and entertainment properties that provides some of the highest quality and most recognizable play and recreational experiences in the world. As a brand-driven, consumer-focused global company, Hasbro brings to market a range of toys, games and licensed products, from traditional to high-tech and digital, under such powerful brand names as TRANSFORMERS, PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, CRANIUM and WIZARDS OF THE COAST. Come see how we inspire play through our brands at http://www.hasbro.com. © 2009 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Note: Event photos and video can be downloaded at http://www.newsinfusion.com/monopoly

Source: Hasbro, Inc.

Hunter PR
Donetta Allen, 1-347-512-3170
dallen@hunterpr.com
or
Brazen PR
Peter Burling, 00 44 797 432 3047
peter@brazenpr.com
or
Hasbro, Inc.
Pat Riso, 413-526-2307
priso@hasbro.com