England’s Most Beloved Board Games Revealed As Search Data Shows Which Games Are Most Popular In 2025

The most popular board games in each English county have now been revealed, with some very interesting results.

Using Google Keywords, Mahjong365 has uncovered which classic and contemporary board games are still capturing the English public’s attention. Breaking the data down by county has revealed some stark regional differences, highlighting the contract in gaming culture in different counties.

Key Data Points:

• Monopoly – England’s overall favourite board game with 873,250 Google searches in 2025. (Favourite in 17 counties)
• Scrabble – England’s most educated counties prefer Scrabble. (Favourite in 4 counties)
• Cards Against Humanity – Most popular in Northern England with 286,300 Google searches in 2025. (Favourite in 5 counties)
• UNO – A second favourite behind Monopoly, throughout the country with over 633,500 Google searches in 2025. (Favourite in 7 counties)

Monopoly Emerged as the England’s Overall Favourite Board Game

According to the data, Monopoly is the overall most popular board game in England with over 873,250 people in England searching on Google for Monopoly in 2025.

The original Monopoly board game was first released by Parker Brothers in 1935, and sold outside of the USA from 1936, making it 90 years old.  Since then, it has been translated into 37 different languages, with more than 200 licensed variations sold in 103 countries worldwide. 

In 2015, there had been an estimated 275 million copies sold in total, with today’s figure likely far higher. Its classic blend of nostalgia, competitiveness and family fun has kept Monopoly at the top of the leaderboard for years.

Counties that have Monopoly as the most searched for in 2025 are: 

• Berkshire
• Buckinghamshire
• Cheshire
• Derbyshire
• Devon
• Greater London
• Hampshire
• Lancashire
• Lincolnshire
• Norfolk
• North Yorkshire
• Nottinghamshire
• South Yorkshire
• Staffordshire
• Surrey
• Worcestershire

Well-educated Counties Preferred Scrabble, but Cards Against Humanity Proved Most Popular in Northern England

A clear contrast in the data is that word-making classic Scrabble is the game of choice in England’s most-educated counties, but Cards Against Humanity takes top spot in much of the North of England.

Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Durham are home to three of the nation’s top universities, and rank among England’s most-educated counties.

It’s therefore perhaps not surprising that people there love the intellectual challenge and wordplay of a game like Scrabble. But in West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester – regions known for their sharp wit and love of humour – Cards Against Humanity came out on top with 286,300 people in England searching online for the NSFW board game in 2025.

Counties that have Scrabble as the most searched for in 2025 are: 

• Cambridgeshire
• County Durham
• Oxfordshire
• Warwickshire

Counties that have Card Against Humanity as the most searched for in 2025 are:

• West Yorkshire
• West Midlands
• Merseyside
• Greater Manchester
• Essex 

UNO Dominates from North to South, Showing a Wide-Reaching Appeal

While Scrabble and Cards Against Humanity were the winners in localised areas, UNO was revealed as a the second favourite amongst board game fans throughout England with over 633,500 Google searches in 2025.

From Tyne and Wear in the north to Kent in the south, the fast-paced action and simplicity of UNO has enhanced its wide-ranging appeal. The easy-to-learn but competitive nature of the game makes it a family favourite, with people up and down the country enjoying a game of UNO.

Counties that have Uno as the most searched for in 2025 are:

• East Riding of Yorkshire
• Herefordshire
• Hertfordshire
• Kent
• Leicestershire
• Northumberland
• Tyne and Wear

Commentary

Liam Solomon, a spokesperson for Mahjong365, said: “With Monopoly emerging as England’s most popular board game, it’s clear that the timeless classic is still enjoyed by millions nationwide.

“For nearly a century, Monopoly has been creating family fun (and a few arguments) across the world, and the hundreds of millions of copies sold worldwide are proof of its enduring popularity.

“It’s interesting to note that Scrabble proved most popular in highly-educated counties, while Cards Against Humanity topped the charts in Northern England.

“Perhaps this reflects the down-to-earth sense of humour and less sensitivity to vulgar language that many in the North possess.”

Methodology:

To identify England’s most beloved board games, search data from Google Keywords was analysed from 2025-to date.

A curated list of 24 board games was used to track relevant keywords.

By comparing the average monthly search volume across different English counties, we identified the most searched-for game in each region. This approach assumes that higher search interest reflects greater public engagement or popularity, offering a real-time, data-led snapshot of the nation’s board game preferences.

*Note. Only modern board games were considered for the curated list. Board games such as Chess & Checkers were excluded.