How to play Hot Dice: when to roll and when to bank

Hot Dice is all about risk. Knowing the odds of a farkle tells you when another roll is worth it.

The rules

Roll six dice and set aside at least one scoring die. Then roll the rest to add more, or bank your points. If a roll has no scoring dice, you farkle and lose the turn’s points. If all six dice score, it’s hot dice: roll all six again. First to 4,000 wins.

Scoring: each 1 = 100, each 5 = 50, three of a kind = the number × 100 (three 1s = 1,000), and four, five or six of a kind double, triple or quadruple that. A 1–6 straight scores 1,500 and three pairs score 750, both only in one roll of six dice.

The farkle odds

• 6 dice: about a 2% chance of farkling. Always roll.
• 5 dice: about 8%.
• 4 dice: about 16%.
• 3 dice: about 28%.
• 2 dice: about 44%.
• 1 die: about 67%.

When to bank

A simple guide: with three or more dice left, keep rolling until you have about 350 to 400. With one or two dice left, bank anything over 300. Adjust for the score: push harder when you’re well behind or your opponent is close to 4,000.

Don’t always keep every scoring die

If you roll a 1 and a 5, keeping just the 1 and rolling five dice is often better than keeping both and rolling four. More dice means a lower chance to farkle and more chance of a big combination.